Ugo Mola knows just what it takes to win the Heineken Cup - he did it back in 1996 with Toulouse.

Now the renowned sevens specialist is setting defence alarm bells ringing in Castres Olympique colours, Mola is this season's leading try scorer in the tournament with seven.

But for Castres to reach the Heineken Cup final for the first time - this is their debut at the semi-final stage - they have to beat Munster at Stade de la Méditerranée, Béziers, in Saturday's (27 April) semi-final.

And Mola is adamant that, while they have flopped in the French Championship, they can make their mark in Europe's premier knock-out tournament.

"All our minds are focussed on Munster now," said Mola. "Being eliminated from the French championship play-offs means that the Heineken Cup really is our objective for the rest of the season.

"Playing in the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup is fantastic and playing the final is just as good as playing an international match except that, if you achieve that with your own club, with your friends, it's an even greater feeling.

"I was lucky enough to lift the Heineken Cup trophy in 1996 with Toulouse but during the modest beginnings of the Pool stages of that first tournament we did not really realise what playing in the Heineken Cup meant.

"But to see over 32,000 people at the final meant that the competition had already grown a lot in stature and prestige.

"The fact that Toulouse have not won the title since just shows the worth of that first victory. Rugby has changed a lot since then. In 1996 we all had jobs, or studied, outside rugby but now only three or four of the Castres players are not fully professional.

"Now in the semi-final we will play for ourselves, for the club and indeed for France as we are the only French team still involved.

"We are pleased that we have come this far and our season will be seen as one of the best seasons the club has seen if we reach the final...but only if we get there.

"As for Munster, they are a formidable team. They have a lot of international players within their ranks which means they know each other very well. They are a complete team.

"I think the key areas in the match will be discipline, defence and the will to win. The team who wants it the most will clinch it, I think, so it's all in the heads of the players as the two teams have a similar style.

"I believe we fear ourselves more than the Munster players. We must be at our very best in order to have a chance - we are certainly the outsiders for the Heineken Cup at this stage.

"Ronan O'Gara, Rob Henderson & Co. are all class players and the forwards make up the bulk of the Irish pack so after the loss to France in the Six Nations there is going to be some revenge in the air.

"Our defence will have to be optimal and we're hoping that the whole of Castres will get behind us and support us on the day, despite a season of ups and downs."