Newport Gwent Dragons launch their Amlin Challenge Cup challenge at I Cavalieri Prato on Saturday with hooker Lloyd Burns – one of the club’s four Wales international forwards who featured in the World Cup semi-finals – adamant they have the players to make a real statement in Europe.
The Dragons played in the tournament in the 2006 / 2007 season, beating former Heineken Cup champions Brive 39-17 in the quarter-finals before going down 46-29 against eventual champions ASM Clermont Auvergne at Stade Marcel Michelin.
As well as the Round 1 trip to Italy the Dragons will play Perpignan – and a possible reunion with Wales star James Hook – and Exeter Chiefs.
“We are very excited over our matches in the Amlin Challenge Cup,” said Burns who played in four matches in the New Zealand.
“Every time you go to Europe it is to play a big game and we are all really looking forward to the experiences against Italian, French and English sides.
“Of course it is pretty disappointing that we are not in the Heineken Cup but that is the way it is and we just need to get on with things and go out to put in some big performances in the Amlin Challenge Cup and prove we deserve to get back into the Heineken Cup next season.
“The challenges and competition will still be massive, just like the Heineken Cup, and we certainly will not be taking any of our opponents lightly and be going into the matches with all guns blazing.
“We are in a group in which there will be no easy games so we will have to be on top of our game from the start and for each and every one of them.
“We do not know a great deal about the Italian club but we fully expect them to be very forward orientated and physical up front and that it will be a tough challenge against a typical Italian team with home advantage.
“If you look at the other clubs in the Pool it is pretty clear there are going to definitely be some sore bodies among the forwards after each of those games.”
The Dragons and Perpignan have met four times in the Heineken Cup, the French club 3-1 ahead with the Dragons winning 27-14 at Rodney Parade in the 2004 / 2005 Pool stages.
“I guess we except Perpignan to be toughest team of the group and it will good to meet up with Hookie again and possibly play against him.
“Stade Aime Giral looks quite a daunting place to go but I am really looking forward to that and every new rugby ground you go to is a new and exciting experience.
“We will be treating it as if it was the Heineken Cup and with the boys back from the World Cup, along with those already well into the season, hopefully we will front up as a team and put some big performances in during the tournament.
“And with the winners of the Amlin Challenge Cup automatically qualifying for the next Heineken Cup tournament, that is yet another carrot and fresh in the back of our minds – the better we do the better it is for the club.
“Every game you win breeds confidence and that is the target from here on in.”
The Dragons played in the tournament in the 2006 / 2007 season, beating former Heineken Cup champions Brive 39-17 in the quarter-finals before going down 46-29 against eventual champions ASM Clermont Auvergne at Stade Marcel Michelin.
As well as the Round 1 trip to Italy the Dragons will play Perpignan – and a possible reunion with Wales star James Hook – and Exeter Chiefs.
“We are very excited over our matches in the Amlin Challenge Cup,” said Burns who played in four matches in the New Zealand.
“Every time you go to Europe it is to play a big game and we are all really looking forward to the experiences against Italian, French and English sides.
“Of course it is pretty disappointing that we are not in the Heineken Cup but that is the way it is and we just need to get on with things and go out to put in some big performances in the Amlin Challenge Cup and prove we deserve to get back into the Heineken Cup next season.
“The challenges and competition will still be massive, just like the Heineken Cup, and we certainly will not be taking any of our opponents lightly and be going into the matches with all guns blazing.
“We are in a group in which there will be no easy games so we will have to be on top of our game from the start and for each and every one of them.
“We do not know a great deal about the Italian club but we fully expect them to be very forward orientated and physical up front and that it will be a tough challenge against a typical Italian team with home advantage.
“If you look at the other clubs in the Pool it is pretty clear there are going to definitely be some sore bodies among the forwards after each of those games.”
The Dragons and Perpignan have met four times in the Heineken Cup, the French club 3-1 ahead with the Dragons winning 27-14 at Rodney Parade in the 2004 / 2005 Pool stages.
“I guess we except Perpignan to be toughest team of the group and it will good to meet up with Hookie again and possibly play against him.
“Stade Aime Giral looks quite a daunting place to go but I am really looking forward to that and every new rugby ground you go to is a new and exciting experience.
“We will be treating it as if it was the Heineken Cup and with the boys back from the World Cup, along with those already well into the season, hopefully we will front up as a team and put some big performances in during the tournament.
“And with the winners of the Amlin Challenge Cup automatically qualifying for the next Heineken Cup tournament, that is yet another carrot and fresh in the back of our minds – the better we do the better it is for the club.
“Every game you win breeds confidence and that is the target from here on in.”
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