Lock Bradley Davies admits there is 'no bigger test' than facing the champions of Europe - but insists Cardiff Blues are relishing the chance to prove themselves against Toulon.
Blues face the mighty French side at the Arms Park this Saturday afternoon (kick-off 1.35pm) as they look to bounce back from defeat to Exeter Chiefs in the opening round of matches in Pool 2.
Wales ace Davies and team-mate Filo Paulo will find themselves up against vastly experienced duo Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha in the second row – the Toulon lock pair having over 150 international caps between them.
But Davies admits the size of the challenge is one that excites the entire Blues squad and there is no greater platform to perform on.
“There is no bigger test than the champions of Europe at home, it’s something we look forward to and we want a response,” said Davies.
“We know the style of rugby they will play. Our backs are against the wall after last week and we are a bit of a wounded animal so hopefully we can take the fight to them.
“They’ve got some great players, but we have a real spirit and togetherness here. We want to prove we are a good team.
“We played well against Toulon last year but we lost. As a squad we are trying to get away from just accepting playing well against a good team. We want to beat these sides.
“We had two or three chances to beat Toulon at home last year but didn’t take them. It’s not good enough as a squad or as a region to accept that. We need to win games.
He added: “The Exeter game last weekend was disappointing and, ultimately, it boils down to us players on the field. We looked at the game and the first 20 minutes let us down.
“We showed character and bottle in the second half to comeback. If we can win against Toulon then we are still in the group. We got a point from Exeter, have looked at where it went wrong and go again.
“We’re hurt and we’re all professional players who want to do well. The Exeter game gave us the kick we needed to pull our fingers out and hopefully we can now do that against Toulon.”
Ticket latest - Tickets will remain on sale, in limited areas, for the Toulon clash at the Ticket Office at the Arms Park on match day. Visit in person for more details.