Exiles target treble success

Only Leicester Tigers have come close to securing such a remarkable feat when they claimed a domestic double before falling to London Wasps in the 2007 Heineken Cup Final at Twickenham.

But Booth clearly sees no benefit in setting mediocre standards as the Exiles look to build on what was a disappointing season last time out.

"Winning the Premiership, winning the LV= Cup and winning the Heineken Cup - that's what I'm employed to do," said Booth.

"I believe we've got a team that can compete at the highest level on a regular basis."

Irish have certainly shown those capabilities in recent campaigns but the club's problem has been consistency rather than ability.

The Madejski Stadium outfit reached the Heineken Cup semi-finals in 2008, were Guinness Premiership runners up in 2009 and beat European Champions Leinster in Dublin in the opening game of last year's Heineken Cup.

And despite being drawn in one of the most-daunting groups in Heineken Cup history alongside double champions Munster, Magners League winners the Ospreys and Amlin Challenge Cup finalists RC Toulon, Booth is confident his side can rise to the challenge and progress to the knockout stages.

"If you look at the results form last year, particularly the Leinster games, it reinforces my point," added Booth.

"If it was insurmountable we'd put out the academy team, but we won't because it's a marker of measuring the progress of your players.

"They are markers of performance and achievement; they breed self-confidence and show that you're going in the right direction."