Byrne urges Bears to rise to the challenge

Pat Lam’s side travel to Stade Chaban-Delmas in a repeat of last season’s Challenge Cup semi-final – and hooker Byrne knows the Bears will need to raise their game to book their place in the last eight of the competition.

'European weeks are special'

"We're under no illusions about the challenge that we face on Sunday," he said. "Bordeaux have been going really well in the Top 14 and they've got threats all over the pitch. They've got a big strong pack and some really dangerous backs out wide, so we know we've got to bring our A-game.

"The minute we stepped into the High Performance Centre on Tuesday, you could feel the buzz around the place. European weeks are special and the Heineken Cup is a competition that everyone wants to win. When it comes to European weeks, the challenge in itself is bigger and we're playing teams we wouldn't usually play, so there's a big focus for Sunday.

"It's going to be a big battle up front. They have a big pack and a big strong scrum, so we need to nullify their scrum and their dangerous lineout options as well. The set-piece will be huge, but if we defend to the best of our ability, it should put us in a good place."