Stade Français Paris coach Michael Cheika leapt to the defence of his team after they upset the odds to beat ASM Clermont Auvergne and reach the Amlin Challenge Cup final in Cardiff on Friday, 20 May.
"It has been a difficult season for us with a lot of difficult things going on around the club. Anyone who says we haven't got heart is wrong," admitted Cheika.
"We haven't had a good season, but tonight there was a great desire to give something back to the club. It's going to be great going to Cardiff for the Amlin final.
"We always wanted the chance to play in the Heineken Cup, but we know we will have to be a lot better against either Munster or Harlequins in the final.
"We took the points when they were on offer and, even though they were more dominant in the physical side of the game, we hung on. We have a big derby game against Racing Metro coming up and then we have a bit of a break.
"Hopefully, we can improve our game by the final. We want to give the best possible account of ourselves in Cardiff and if we can do that we will go close."
It will be Stade's third major European final, having been beaten in the 2001 and 2005 Heineken Cup finals. It will also be Cheika's second final after steering Leinster to Heineken Cup glory in 2009.
His old side Leinster meet Toulouse in the first of the Heineken Cup semi-finals in Dublin this weekend, raising the prospect of Cheika being in the Welsh capital on the same weekend as the Irish province if they can overcome Toulouse.
"The final is something to look forward to and there will be a big atmosphere with the two games in Cardiff. Hopefully, we will be playing a double header with Leinster - that would make it a nice weekend all round," said Cheika.
"That would be great. We're through - that's the first step. Hopefully, the second step will be taken tomorrow."
