David Skrela knows what it takes to win European titles and the former French outside half has spent all week in training at ASM Clermont Auvergne stressing the importance of accuracy to his team mates ahead of their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens.
Skrela, who is poised to make his 60th Heineken Cup appearance at Vicarage Road on Sunday, had a dramatic introduction to European rugby by playing in the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup finals in successive seasons.
In those days he was a talented teenager who won an Amlin Challenge Cup winners medal before he was 19 when Colomiers beat Agen 45-12 in the 1998 final. Next season he was in the Colomiers side that lost to Ulster Rugby in the European Rugby Cup final at Lansdowne Road.
He had to wait until 2010 before he finally picked up his first Heineken Cup winners medal, scoring 15 points in Toulouse's win over Biarritz Olympique in Paris, and now at the age of 33 he is eyeing up another major prize with centenary celebrating ASM Clermont Auvergne.
"We have set ourselves very high goals for this season. The squad has real strength in depth and key players can rest without making the team weaker, which is a huge comfort," said Skrela, who is 17 points short of becoming only the seventh player to reach 500 points in the Heineken Cup.
"The entire club is aware we can do something in the Heineken Cup, but we must be impeccable against the strongest teams. That is our main problem, but I think we can do it.
"It is all about determination. We need to take the next step, discover the pleasure of playing in these high level games and prove that we will one day be good enough to win the Heineken Cup.
"Since the start of the week the mood in the squad has changed - everybody is aware of what is at stake this weekend. It is very important for the club to make history and reach its first semi-final.
"We really want to succeed in the Heineken Cup. We have built something big this year, but we still have to erase our small mistakes because in Heineken Cup rugby one mistake can mean a try for the opposition."
Clermont have lost all three of their previous quarter-finals, although they have reached three Amlin Challenge Cup finals and won that title twice. They currently lie in second in the Top 14 and have targeted an ambitious double this season to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
"I don't know if we are better than Saracens, but we know we are travelling to fade one of the best teams in England That means it won't be easy and we certainly won't start as favourites," said Skrela, who played for Stade Francais Paris in the 2005 Heineken Cup final.
"We know that we can win - but not without playing excellent rugby. We are a squad that works well together, that is obvious on the pitch, but we have crucial games coming up and our spirit will be tested and we will see if what we have built is strong enough."
