Newcastle Falcons face part two of their back-to-back away French tests when they clash with Albi at Stadium Municipal d'Albi on Friday night in a must-win match to keep their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final hopes burning brightly.
When they went to France in Round 4 they went down 24-19 at Montauban and a second French defeat could leave Carl Hayman's Falcons sweating on a prestigious knock-out place in April.
The Falcons have reached the quarter-finals stage in eight of the nine seasons they have played in the Amlin Challenge Cup - only missing out in 2003/04 - and their Junior All Blacks and Pacific Islanders international centre Tane Tu'ipulotu believes they must silence the home crowd to stop Albi gaining revenge for the 45-3 defeat they suffered at Kingston Park Stadium in Round 2.
"We expect a really hard game at Albi," said Tu'ipulotu. French teams always provide strong and tough opposition on their home patch and this season Albi have already beaten some very good sides in the French Top 14 - such as Perpignan and Biarritz Olympique - and they will come out with plenty of pride and passion in front of their home crowd.
"They will feed off that and it will be up to use to stay tight and not get wound up by the atmosphere. If we stick together I am sure we can get the result.
"So it will be a case of keeping on playing our own game and we should be OK because if you relax and ease off you will only make it all the harder for yourself."
The Falcons have failed to qualify for the Heineken Cup since 2004/05 and the lure of the Amlin Challenge Cup winner automatically booking their place in the following season's Heineken Cup is a major incentive.
"We haven't been in the Heineken Cup for some time now and that is a concern for us," said Tongan-born Tu'ipulotu.
"The Amlin Challenge Cup has always been a big goal for us this season - with the bonus that it provides the opportunity to qualify directly for the Heineken Cup if you can win it.
"I always wanted to come over here and get a taste of top European club rugby and I have found that by and large the Amlin Challenge Cup games are good, hard rugby. It has been great fun and a great experience for me."
However the defeat at Montauban brought the Falcons down to earth and means they cannot afford another slip-up.
"That defeat at Montauban in Round 4 has made it a bit harder for us but we are certainly up for the challenge in the last two matches - starting at Albi on Friday night," added Tu'ipulotu.
"The tournament provides great exposure for some of the younger players and we have got a good bunch of boys and a great team spirit."
