Sale Sharks - winners of the European Challenge Cup title in 2002 and 2005 - face Munster at Edgeley Park on Friday night with coach Kingsley Jones determined it is time for them to make an impact in the Heineken Cup.
They warmed-up for the visit of the annual Irish flag bearers with a 18-10 victory over 2004 Heineken Cup champions London Wasps and former Wales flanker and captain Jones is calling for a repeat performance.
"We are looking forward to the Heineken Cup immensely, it is a different tournament with different challenges and demands," said Jones.
"We worked hard all of last season to get into the Heineken Cup and we are not going to waste that effort - we are not content just to be taking part, we want to make sure we do something in the tournament.
"We had an extremely high level game against Wasps last Friday night which required a step up in level for us and we will be looking to put in a similar performance against Munster, we have to raise our game to that level again.
"Munster, with their pedigree and experience in Europe are the Pool 1 favourites and it is going to be a huge challenge for us to make the winning start everyone will be looking to make.
"The focus has to be on winning our three home games and then trying to pick up one or two wins on the road and I believe we can put up a good fight against Munster and get a win.
"The Dragons are lower in the Celtic League than they ought to be and anyone who thinks they can just turn up at Rodney Parade and expect a win can think again - just ask Leicester - while Castres had a big win against ASM Clermont Auvergne at the weekend.
"It could be fair to say that we have not risen to the challenge in the two seasons we have played in the Heineken Cup, winning just three of our 12 fixtures.
"However, now we are setting our sights a good deal higher. It is not good enough just to keep qualifying for the Heineken Cup and I am targeting a home quarter-final draw.
"Having got to the semi-finals as a player when I was captain of Gloucester in 2001, I honestly believe the hardest part of this competition is qualifying from the Pool stages and reaching the last eight.
"Once you are in the knock-outs all the sides are top teams and everyone is able to beat anyone else on their day.
"Our walking wounded from Friday night should all be okay and available for selection and aside of our long-term injured we should not have any selection worries."
Mark Taylor, also a former Wales captain, is one of the Sale newcomers and the centre has started every Sale game so far.
"Mark is going really well, has settled in and doing a good job in the midfield for us - he is as strong and fit as he has ever been," said Jones.
