The European Cup nears its climax with two mouth-watering semi-finals this weekend, French powerhouses Toulouse and Biarritz lining up against Irish provinces Leinster and Munster respectively.
Three-time champions Toulouse host reigning champions Leinster, who will be looking to match English side Leicester (2001, 2002) as the only club to win successive titles.
Despite having displayed inconsistent Top 14 form this season, Toulouse have been impressive in European competition, buoyed by tireless former All Black Byron Kelleher and a set of free-running backs that feed off a strong pack.
"We're going to face the sternest test of our whole time together," acknowledged Leinster coach Michael Cheika. "We'll have to dig in and fight hard because we're a couple of men down. To do that will take a real team effort."
Leinster will be without Girvan Dempsey and Fergus McFadden, while influential outside-half Jonathan Sexton is a real concern.
Cheika, who will take over at Stade Francais next season, added: "They fancy their chances against us deep down and they're probably pretty happy that they have drawn us. They see that as the quickest road to get to (the May 22 final in) Paris.
"This is the biggest battle we've ever had and we acknowledge that. Once you're ready for that, there's a good chance that you're going to perform to a level that gets you into a match and if you get a bit of luck too, you might win it."
Toulouse coach Guy Noves was looking forward to a "party" of a match.
"Despite a tough season, the team has been given the chance of playing this semi at home thanks to some deserved results.
"We've planned it that this team peaks now," Noves said, adding that players had been given off periods to ensure a "maximum of freshness".
In Spain, there is a re-run of the 2006 final won by Munster as Biarritz take on the Irish men in red in the northern Spanish, and Basque, city of San Sebastian.
Munster, also winners in 2008, will arrive as firm favourites against a team that finished seventh in the Top 14 but will still be wary of a Basque side moulded around stand-out Six Nations No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili and flying American winger Takudzwa Ngwenya.
Lock and captain Paul O'Connell (groin) will be missing from the Munster line-up but Keith Earls, Ian Dowling and Doug Howlett have all been included in the squad that travels to Estadio Anoeta for Sunday's second semi-final.
"We will approach the game as we would do for any high ranking competition semi-final and our frame of mind is very much set on beating our opponents whoever they may be," said Biarritz captain and lock Jerome Thion.
"It is true that we didn't have a good season in the Top 14 and we have had a lot of injuries but each time we managed to regain our strengths and some cohesion within our group to play our European Cup games."
He added: "Their main goal is to win the European Cup and our encounters are always huge battles involving a very intense and physical contest.
"They are used to these major showpiece occasions and have been crowned European champions twice, so we are certainly up against one of the top European squads."
Uncomprimising Munster flanker David Wallace was blunt in what he thought his team had to do.
"We have to go out and attack them and attack them," said the British and Irish Lion. "I think it is going to be very difficult on Sunday."
Semi-final fixtures
Saturday
Toulouse (FRA) v Leinster (IRL) at Toulouse (1445 GMT)
Sunday
Biarritz (FRA) v Munster (IRL) at San Sebastian, Spain (1415 GMT)
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
