Loffreda's job was seemingly on the line just two weeks ago as Tigers struggled to secure Heineken Cup qualification - but despite finishing fourth after the 22-game regular season, they reached their fourth successive Premiership final by securing a first away win for any club in six seasons of play-offs.

"Newspapers can say what they want, but I coached with a lot of confidence in what I believe, and these are the things I will keep on doing," said Loffreda. "I have said a few times before that we are not going to give up."

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan could not mask a sense of fury as the dust began to settle on his team's demise.

"It is not my emotions that are important now, it is about how we take responsibility. We committed suicide in the second half," he said.

"This isn't a learning curve, it is about people fronting up. If we do that, we just might move on."