Jones wary of Wilkinson threat in Heineken Cup

Ospreys captain Alun-Wyn Jones is fully prepared for the Jonny Wilkinson factor in tomorrow's Heineken Cup opener against Toulon.

The Ospreys once again find themselves in a fiendishly difficult pool after being drawn alongside Toulon, London Irish and twice European champions Munster.

And they will be greeted at Stade Felix Mayol this weekend by a Wilkinson-inspired Toulon side which has reeled off four successive Top 14 league wins and beaten Biarritz away from home.

"It is inevitable that as a fly-half and world-class player Jonny Wilkinson is at the heart of almost everything they do," Wales lock Jones said.

"He is certainly going to push their ambitions in the Heineken Cup. We accept it is going to be a tough ask and he is going to be a key man for them.

"We seem to have a bit of a reputation for being in tough groups, but that is not such a bad thing.

"Our performances have grown steadily in recent seasons and we have qualified for the knockout stages in the last three tournaments.

"It is often the case that teams who get through from the tougher and more competitive pools are the ones you see in the last four and that is where you want to be for a shout of winning the cup.

"Hopefully it is going to be our time soon and we will get the big Heineken Cup breakthrough. Once we get to a semi-final, anything can happen."

Irish launch their European campaign with a mouthwatering Madejski Stadium clash against Munster tomorrow, while Premiership champions Leicester visit Treviso in Pool Five and Saracens - the side Tigers beat at Twickenham last term - visit Clermont Auvergne.

Northampton though, get under way tonight against Pool One rivals Castres at Franklin's Gardens when their fit-again England wing Chris Ashton returns to action.

"Playing in Europe gives you the opportunity to come up against new sides and this is what we will be doing when we play Castres," said Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder.

"It has given the players something new to focus on as Castres will pose us different problems to what we have faced in the Premiership so far.

"They have beaten some big teams like Toulouse this season and their coaches have put together a very strong outfit.

"They have some big ball carriers in the back row and a fast back line that likes to move the ball.

"We have been working hard on every aspect of our game this week, and everyone in the squad has put in the effort to try and get selection in the team."

Ashton, skipper Dylan Hartley, prop Brian Mujati and flanker Tom Wood are all back on duty following last weekend's 27-21 win against Premiership newcomers Exeter.

While Northampton prepare for a degree of the unknown against Castres, four Magners League sides go head-to-head in tonight's two other Heineken encounters.

Ulster host newly-established Italian side Aironi in Pool Four, with Pool Six rivals Glasgow and Newport Gwent Dragons meeting at Firhill.

Elsewhere tomorrow, Leinster entertain French tournament newcomers Racing Metro in Pool Two, Pool Five sees the Scarlets hosting Perpignan and there is a Pool One enounter between Cardiff Blues and Edinburgh in Wales.