Dai Young and his Cardiff Blues side will truly find out how far they have come this season when they travel to Paris for the first of a massive double-header with tournament favourites Stade Francais.

This is the third meeting between the clubs in the Heineken Cup and the formidable French side won both matches in convincing fashion in the 2004/05 season. 

The Blues lead Pool 3 but captain Xavier Rush and his men will need to be at their very best to achieve victory in the Stade Jean Bouin as they seek to reach the quarter-final for the first time since 2001.

Two-times runners-up Stade suffered a shock loss to Bristol in the last round but will look to hit back in emphatic style or face surprise elimination.