All roads lead to Cardiff

In three of the Pools the current top two face each other on successive weekends, Harlequins against Connacht Rugby in Pool 1; Brive and Sale Sharks clash in Pool 2 and La Rochelle meet Gloucester Rugby in Pool 5.

Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Kingsley Jones, the former Wales flanker and captain, accepts they have a tough task ahead of them in Brive on Saturday but is delighted the final will be played in the Welsh capital.

"What fantastic news that the Amlin Challenge Cup final will be staged at Cardiff City Stadium - it will certainly provide an added incentive for our Welsh players - and one of those, scrum half Dwayne Peel, could well be over his groin injury in time for these big games against Brive," he said.

"Cardiff City Stadium is a great venue and having the Amlin final in the same city and on the same weekend as the Heineken Cup final promises to be a brilliant few days in Cardiff for those four teams in the finals.

"However, we have a big challenge ahead of us against Brive over in France and, although they have apparently had a bit of disruption in recent weeks, we will concentrate on our own game.

"We know a win over there would put us in great shape for the return at Edgeley Park the following weekend and, to be honest, I would not care how we get the win as long as we get it. At this stage it is all about the win.

"The back-to-back matches against Brive are pivotal to our hopes and this is a tournament we are desperate to do well in this season. "

Sale are going for a hat-trick of tournament titles, winning in 2002 and 2005, while Brive were the Heineken Cup champions in 1997.

"Brive are particularly strong in the back row - that is where we see their greatest threat - but they also have a good driving game and pace and dangerous runners out wide.

"They are a well balanced side and we look forward to measuring ourselves against them over the two legs that will have a huge bearing on our group."