Head coach Dean Ryan believes his Gloucester side will learn from their Heineken Cup defeat by Munster.

Speaking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, he said: "We got a lot of confirmation that what we're trying to do is taking us in the right direction."

"I don't think there's any reason for confidence to drop."

"We've got to take that forward, we've got to learn from that, we've got to make sure that next time we're in that environment we can be better."

Interview: Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan

The Cherry-and-Whites head coach feels there is much to be gained from their European escapades: "We're one step further on than last year.

"We're getting better, we're maturing and we're still competing at the top table of European rugby and we've got to keep learning from it."

Ryan is now focusing on the run-in to the Premiership play-offs.

If we've learned the lessons of previous experiences last year then we've got a chance of doing well Dean Ryan

"It's still a journey to be the best side and win Premiership finals - that's not a journey that we're any closer or further away from than Europe."

"We're top of the league with four games to go, and we've got to try and maximise our opportunities to get into that competition to learn from it again.

"Hopefully if we've learned the lessons of previous experiences last year then we've got a chance of doing well in it."