Toulouse return to Europe’s elite competition in 2018/19 after making their Challenge Cup debut last season and they could not have been handed a harder draw, with defending champions Leinster Rugby, two-time winners Wasps and 1998 champions Bath Rugby also in Pool 1 of the Heineken Champions Cup. Here we take an in-depth look at what the four-time winners will bring to the group. What is their European Cup record like? Along with Leinster, Toulouse hold the record for the most European Cup titles with four. Their quartet came in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010 – and all four finals were thrillers. The French club were the first winners of the trophy when they defeated Cardiff 21-18 after extra-time in the Welsh capital thanks to a last-gasp penalty from Christophe Deylaud. Toulouse’s second European Cup was a personal triumph for Yann Delaigue, who kicked 17 points to guide them to a 21-17 victory over French rivals Perpignan in Dublin. Two years later in Edinburgh Toulouse again put their fans through the agonies of extra-time, after Frédéric Michalak forced the additional period with an injury-time penalty against Stade Français Paris and then kicked another penalty and a drop-goal to seal an 18-12 win. Toulouse’s most recent European Cup triumph also followed an all-French final as they defeated TOP 14 rivals Biarritz 21-19 in Paris after two drop-goals from Florian Fritz and one from David Skrela, allied to four penalties from the pair. Who is on their coaching staff? Ugo Mola has been Toulouse’s head coach since 2015, returning to the club where he made his name as a player between 1990 and 1996, when he was a member of the squad who won the first European Cup. The 45-year-old former France wing, who included the 1999 Rugby World Cup final among his 12 Tests, then moved on to Castres Olympique, helping them win the European Shield in 2003 with a 40-12 win over Caerphilly before retiring with a European tally of 17 tries in 40 European appearances. He is assisted by two more former Toulouse favourites and French internationals in William Servat (forwards) and Jean Bouilhou (line-out), as well as Pierre-Henry Broncan (defence). Who are their principal new signings? Back-row forward Jerome Kaino, a double World Cup winner with New Zealand, has joined the French club from the Blues after 83 Tests for the All Blacks. The 35-year-old is one of two New Zealanders to have moved to Toulouse in the closed season. The other is centre Pita Ahki, an All Blacks sevens international, who made two Challenge Cup appearances for Connacht Rugby last season in his single campaign with the Irish province. https://twitter.com/StadeToulousain/status/1026392133144637441 Pierre Gayraud, who can play in the second and back rows, and centre Maxime Mermoz also arrive at the Stade Ernest-Wallon after a season of Challenge Cup rugby, Gayraud with Bordeaux-Bègles and Mermoz with Newcastle Falcons. Mermoz, 32, who won 35 caps for France, returns to the club where he began his career before leaving for Perpignan, RC Toulon and Leicester Tigers. He won the European Cup twice with Toulon – in 2013 and 2014 – and has made 45 European appearances. Who are some of their other key players? As befits their status as four-time European champions, Toulouse’s squad is multi-national and multi-talented, although there is a strong foundation of French players, including experienced international backs Yoann Huget and Maxime Médard. They can also boast 96-cap Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, former New Zealand prop Charlie Faumuina, Scotland lock Richie Gray, Samoa lock Joe Tekori, Fiji flanker Semi Kunatani and Australian fly-half Zack Holmes.