The 11th Heineken Cup tournament blasts off this weekend with Toulouse opening their defence of the title with a home clash against Llanelli Scarlets at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday afternoon - and with the champions' Welshman Gareth Thomas anxious to keep his amazing year going.
The 11th Heineken Cup tournament blasts off this weekend with Toulouse opening their defence of the title with a home clash against Llanelli Scarlets at Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday afternoon - and with the champions' Welshman Gareth Thomas anxious to keep his amazing year going.
So far he has captained his country to the Grand Slam, picked up a Heineken Cup winners medal in Edinburgh and skippered the British and Irish Lions in the last two Tests against the All Blacks.
And triple Heineken Cup winners Toulouse, beaten 29-15 by Stade Français Paris in the Top 14 on Saturday night in front of a record French club crowd of 79,454, will be happy to be back on home ground as they chase a fourth title.
"I think we have got one of the hardest Pools and although I know Llanelli pretty well they have really hit some good form recently," said Thomas.
"Wasps are one of the biggest English teams and the last time I looked Edinburgh were top of the Celtic League so I know it's going to be tough.
"The cup is massively important for us - and even more so for me this year. It would be amazing for me to go back and play in Cardiff. I have obviously got some pretty special memories of that stadium.
"During the Pool stages we will obviously be taking things one game at a time but if we can get out of this Pool and into the quarter-finals we have got to fancy our chances from there on in."