London Wasps face daunting double French tests in their bid to land a second Heineken Cup title...
London Wasps face daunting double French tests in their bid to land a second Heineken Cup title - but they can call on some valuable inside knowledge when they face Castres Olympique and Perpignan in fascinating Pool 1 matches.
First up will be Castres Olympique at Adams Park on Sunday afternoon followed by Perpignan at Stade Aime Giral six days later with the reverse fixtures in Rounds 5 and 6 in the New Year.
Raphael Ibanez, the former French captain who skippered his national side in the 1999 World Cup final, is the man in the Wasps camp with the inside track on the two French clubs as the 2004 champions of Europe bid to join treble winners Toulouse and double winners Leicester Tigers in proving Twickenham '04 was no flash in the pan and that what they have done once they can do again.
"We are up for it - make no mistake about that," said Ibanez. "It is a fantastic opportunity for our players to face some of the best teams in Europe.
"The Heineken Cup is the level between your domestic rugby and international rugby and is a great tournament to be part of.
"It is true that I know so many of the Castres and Perpignan players very well and, if that can help my team in those matches, well and good.
"However, while I will willingly help Wasps in any way I can, I honestly believe that our fine coaching staff are more than capable of preparing us for the way we want to play against all our Pool opponents.
"Pool 1 is a very balanced group of teams and it does not worry me that we have two French clubs in with us - when the groups were announced I didn't immediately think 'I wish we had someone else' - it didn't worry me one way or the other.
"I obviously know from personal experience just how tough Castres Olympique and Perpignan are going to be on their home pitches and Benetton Treviso are not the Italian champions for nothing.
"We know we will have no easy matches and we have to go straight to it when we play Castres at Adams Park on Sunday - we have to be effective from the off."
Wasps, who have reached the knock-out stages in three of their eight Heineken Cup campaigns, failed to get out of the Pool stages last season, losing two and drawing one of their six fixtures and finishing on 14 points.
"We did not achieve what was expected of us in the Heineken Cup last season and there is a strong determination to make up for that this season," said Ibanez.
"As we found out last season if you are not properly prepared then there are no second chances in the Heineken Cup. You have to make every match result count if you want to progress to the quarter-finals.
"The introduction of the bonus points system was the best thing that has ever happened to the tournament as they mean sides keep playing right to the final whistle and the tries bonus point generally helps make for more spectacular rugby.
"For Wasps to win the Heineken Cup again would be fantastic because trying to do that is certainly the best challenge you can have at club level in the Northern hemisphere."
