Shaw demands Cup success

Wasps second row Simon Shaw has demanded that his side atone for years of Heineken Cup failure by claiming victory over Toulouse at Twickenham tomorrow.

Europe’s most prestigious club competition has not been a happy hunting ground for the English champions who before this season had never reached the semi-finals of the tournament.

But this term they have swept all before them – powering their way to the top of their pool, thumping Gloucester in the quarters and then overcoming Munster in the last four with a monumental display at Lansdowne Road.

Wasps are now just 80 minutes away from being crowned Europe’s finest and Shaw has urged his team-mates to realise their potential and claim Heineken Cup glory.

“This group of players is immense. Many of us have been together for seven or eight years,” said the towering England forward.

“We’ve pretty much failed in Europe over recent years and our ambition has been to put that right.

"European rugby is pretty much set up for us because we like the big games but we haven’t always done ourselves justice.”

Toulouse booked their place at Twickenham with a 19-11 triumph over Biarritz in a full-blooded encounter and although it failed to match the intensity of Wasps’ semi-final, it was a bruising afternoon’s work nonetheless.

And Shaw is aware the defending European champions are sure to provide Wasps with the toughest of assignments tomorrow.

“I haven’t seen Toulouse play much this season. But I know they were given a rough ride against Biarritz last month. We’ll be studying the videos from that game to see where they got the upper hand,” he said

“I don’t know whether it will be harder than the Munster match but I can’t imagine it will be easy. At this stage all the matches are the same, regardless of where you play.”

Shaw has been one of the outstanding players of the season and a leading figure in Wasps’ two-pronged title assault which also sees the club chase Zurich Premiership honours next weekend.

He has received widespread recognition for his form – from his contemporaries and the media – while on Monday he was named in England’s party for next month’s tour to New Zealand and Australia.

His present fortunes represent a remarkable turnaround from nine months ago when the 30-year-old British Lion was initially overlooked by Clive Woodward for the World Cup, a selection decision which the England boss described as the hardest of his life.

“I spoke to my dad recently and he said being in favour must be worrying! But I’ve gone about things in the way I always do. I try not to think about things too much and that helps,” said Shaw.

“A lot of my confidence has come from things written about me in the press. The players and coaches at club level have also helped. Their support fills me with enormous confidence, regardless of whether I get picked for England or not.”