O’Gara led the TOP14 team to last year’s final, where they lost 22-17 to Stade Toulousain, but he reckons they now have the appetite to build on that.

After a 38-30 victory at Glasgow Warriors saw them finish third in Pool A and set up a last-16 tie with Union Bordeaux-Bègles, the Irishman told BT Sport: “We understand what sport at the highest level is. You’ve got to keep knocking on the door.

“You’ve got to try and get better, but you’re going to have huge disappointments. We got to the final of the TOP 14; we lost that. We got to the final of the European Cup; we lost that.

“That’s OK. We’re going to keep coming back and I think you saw that tonight. It’s a group that plays for each other and I think we are good enough tactically and technically [to win the Heineken Champions Cup], but it comes down to want.”

Aside from defeat to Toulouse in last season’s final, Stade Rochelais have not lost in the Heineken Champions Cup since December 2020 and this has given them great confidence.

O’Gara said of the win in Glasgow: “I felt that we were hammering away at them and the tempo we played for the first 20 paid in the final 20.

"We carried well, but we were probably a little inaccurate. The breakdown was a bit of a free-for-all potentially and we had a big penalty count against us, but we’ve got a great team spirit.

“I know Glasgow were fighting for their lives, but we were content on putting on a good show tonight.”

Stade Rochelais director of rugby Ronan O’Gara believes his side’s team spirit will be vital if they are to go one better and win the Heineken Champions Cup this season.