Caerphilly will quite literally take a step into the unknown when they face Italian club Petrarca Padova in the semi-finals of the PARKER PEN SHIELD.

The first leg will be played at Stade Plebiscito on Saturday with the return leg at Virginia Park now being televised live by S4C on 26 April and kicking-off at the later time of 5.30 pm.

But not only have the Welsh club never before made it through to the last four in Europe, but they still know precious little about their opponents for the two-leg tie.

'To be honest we really don't know much about them at all,' admitted Caerphilly coach Mark Ring.

'I've managed to get a hold of an old video of them from Phil Davies (Leeds Tykes coach) but I'm trying to get something a bit more recent.

'However, we are well aware of Mirco Bergamasco and Marco Bortolami and the threat they pose. They both played for Italy in the Six Nations win over Wales and we will have to watch them and keep them under control.'

Caerphilly have enjoyed an extra week off to the rest of the Welsh Premier clubs, who played the quarter-finals of the Principality Cup at the weekend.

That has given their walking wounded more time to recover in time for the first leg in Padova on Saturday.

'The break has meant we have got quite a few injured players coming back so we are all really looking forward to the game,' said Ring.

'Europe has been something of a welcome break for us from a tough Welsh league campaign, especially as we have conceded a lot of points in the last three weeks.'

Petrarca Padova v Caerphilly 12/04/03 (KO 1600)
Petrarca Padova: F Soler; F Faggiotto, M Bergamasco, R Salvan, M Baroni; A Marcato, P Travagli; A Muraro, L Ferraro, M Matteralia, D Tumiati, G Llanos, M Bortolami, H Mazzocco, N Fitisemanu
Replacements; G Boccalon, L Piovan, R Bortolato, R Rampazzo, D Dalla
Nora, M Farsura, A Chillon

Caerphilly: S Tuipulotu; T Taufahema, R Boobyer, R Higgitt, G Lewis; J Thomas, A Chilten; L Manning, F Vunipola, D Sweet, D Davies, P Jones, J El-Abd (capt), S Grainger, M Workman
Replacements; F McLoughlin, R Howells, T Carless, G Liddon, N Rouse, G Jones, A Williams
Referee: Gregg Davies (Scotland)