The ever-improving Edinburgh travel to Paris, the host city for next May’s final, aiming to build on their first success in France last season against Castres.

But the early pace-setters in the Magners League suffered a blow on the eve of their European opener with a thumping 31-10 defeat to the Ospreys.

The Scottish outfit face an enormous task against the formidable force of perennial tournament favourites Stade Francais, who have only lost two home ties in the Heineken Cup but still failed to land the biggest prize.

Despite their resources, Stade have not reached the quarter-finals in the last two years and will hope the signings of England flanker James Haskell and former Leicester Tigers duo Julien Dupuy and Benjamin Kayser can make history.