Some 500 Gloucester fans will be heading to Brittany this weekend for the club’s first European away-day of the season.

The Cherry and Whites take on Vannes on Saturday (5:30pm), looking to build on their European Challenge Cup opening-game 15-10 win against Edinburgh at Kingsholm a week ago.

About 40% of Gloucester’s travelling fans will be going with Kingsholm Supporters Mutual and it will be a new experience for everyone involved.

“It’s the first time that Vannes have ever hosted a European cup game,” said Bob Rumble, chairman of Kingsholm Supporters Mutual.

“They won promotion to the Top 14 at the end of last season, they are incredibly enthusiastic about Saturday’s game.”

Vannes lost their opening game 22-19 at Georgian side Black Lion on Saturday, but with three games to play in the six-strong Pool 3 could still qualify for the knockout stages.

“It should be a cracking game,” said Rumble. “This isn’t like going to Clevedon, this is the real deal.”

Former England loosehead prop Maki Vunipola joined Vannes in the summer from Saracens, while Italy scrum-half and ex-Gloucester star Stephen Varney also linked up with them before the start of the season.

They have won three of their 11 league games and are currently propping up the rest of the division but they are only six points adrift of ninth-placed Montpellier.

After playing Gloucester, Vannes entertain Edinburgh next month before travelling to Scarlets for their final pool game.

Meanwhile, Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington will be hoping to make it two wins out of two tomorrow ahead of their final two pool games – at home to Scarlets and away to Bayonne.

“The top two teams from the pool qualify for the knockout stage with a guaranteed home draw,” said Rumble. “The third-placed team will also go through, but they will have an away tie.”