"We have a pretty even group in the Heineken Cup, where a lot of the teams can beat each other," said Rush. "But we want to get through to the next stage of the competition."

The Blues will face Bristol, Harlequins and Stade Francais in Pool Three of the Heineken Cup next season.

Rush's side had a disappointing campaign last season, managing just two wins in the group stage against French side Bourgoin. Yet Rush is confident his side can launch a strong challenge this year after a second place finish in the Magners League.

"We said at the end of last season when we were challenging for the Magners League that we were definitely not the complete package yet," said Rush.

"I think we've been steadily climbing the ladder and our performances have been improving.

"We're about 20% off where we need to be to challenge the top teams. But we're ready to push on and try to get some silverware this year."