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Captain Bob Casey today warned his London Irish players they are marked men after rising up the rankings to become the second best team in England.
Irish lost the prestigious Premiership Final play-off 10-9 to Leicester, inexperience ruining their challenge on the last day of a very long season.
But Casey is confident the pain of that defeat will fire up his men, starting with the difficult opening Guinness Premiership game against Saracens at Twickenham on Saturday.
Casey, who has recovered from surgery on the biceps muscle he detached for a second time, said: "This is a big season for guys like Delon and Steffon Armitage and Nick Kennedy after making the England team and they have reacted really well to that challenge.
"All three are looking in the shape of their lives and, like the rest of the squad, they recognise we are a marked team having finished with an appearance in the Premiership Final.
"It will take an even bigger effort to get back to the final because we are more of a known quantity and that makes this season such a massive challenge. There comes a time when the learning stops and you have to start winning the silverware."
While the Premiership is an obvious target, Irish have genuine aspirations in the Heineken Cup and, having reached the semi-finals two seasons ago, know they have the power and pace to hurt the best teams.
"The Heineken Cup is a big target and I believe we are equipped to make a big impact. Looking around our players, it is clear we have the men to start Heineken and Premiership matches against anyone," said Casey, who is still on a 'no carbs after mid-day' diet that helped him shed more than a stone a year ago.
"I don't think we could have said that in the past but we aren't carrying anyone now. Everyone needs a little bit of luck and if we get that with injuries we can compete in both competitions.
"When I saw the first fixture of the Cup in October was away to my old team Leinster it was a great moment and it will be a massive game for us. That is where we are striving to be playing every season - big European nights against the best teams."
Casey put up with the pain for the final two games and in the club's end-of-season tours after the injury reoccured in the Premiership semi-final win over Harlequins. "The specialist told me I could play until the tour was over and then have it reattached.
"Having missed the pre-season, I am raring to go and it's feeling a lot stronger than the last time. It happened again because I came back a bit too soon but this time they did a different procedure, plus I've had12 weeks to recover. I can do all the weightlifting but still find it very difficult to manage the washing up at home."
Irish have strengthened their outside-half options to allow Mike Catt time to hang up his No10 shirt and bed in as backs' coach. Ryan Lamb arrived from Gloucester, Chris Malone from Quins and Jamie Lennard from Doncaster. All three have roles to play in one of the best back divisions in Europe.
HARLEQUINS officials could still face further sanctions over the fake-blood scandal despite the club escaping being thrown out of the Heineken Cup.
The European Rugby Cup board accepted a club fine and bans handed out to director Dean Richards, physio Steph Brennan and wing Tom Williams after the player used a fake blood capsule to engineer a substitution in last season's quarter-final against Leinster.
They opted not to expel Quins from the tournament, which could have cost the club more than £1.5million. But the board decided to meet again next Tuesday as they were concerned by issues raised during the disciplinary process and "their implications for the wider game" which could lead to further misconduct charges at Quins.
