EUROPE may have seemed merely a trivial pursuit for Worcester when the draw was made back in the summer.

However, victory tomorrow in Brive's back yard and the secret of Premiership survival may well be unravelled.

Worcester, away from home this season, have found the Premiership an unforgiving stage. Defeats at Saracens and Leeds were close affairs but the 57-3 spanking at Sale still lives in the memory for all the wrong reasons.

You have to believe, however, that if the Warriors could come away with a win on French soil, it would be a landmark moment. For, after beating Brive, why should they fear a trip to the Madejski Stadium next Sunday?

"We're taking 24 players to France," said Worcester's head coach Andy Keast.

"What we realise is that if we can get a win over there, then it's an experience that we don't want the players to read about on Monday. We want as many players over there to be part of it.

"You want the players to absorb the experience and take it forward for the rest of the season.

"Obviously, going away from home is a totally different proposition to a home match and it requires a tougher physicality and mentality. Survival in the Premiership is at the top of our mind but this competition could well help us because, after Saturday's win in the first leg, it's given the boys a big confidence lift.

"Let's be clear, most people didn't give us a hope of beating Brive at all. We've done that and we're now hoping to finish the job off."

Amazingly, because the way the competition is structured, Worcester and Brive could yet meet again in round two because of the 'lucky loser' format which allows two sides to progress even if they were beaten.

"Because of the way the draw has been structured, there's every possibility that, if we or Brive are one of those lucky losers, we will meet again in the next round," added Keast.

"We're desperate to progress in the competition because we don't want to go into the European Challenge Shield. What we want to do is stay in the Challenge Cup because it's good for confidence. We've already seen that this week.

"The other point is that, if we could win the competition like Harlequins last season, it offers qualification for next season's Heineken Cup unlike the Shield.

"We're ambitious here at Worcester and we want to be in the top competitions. The Challenge Cup gives us a shot at qualification and it's something that we see as a real opportunity.

"It's far from a distraction. We believe this tournament can enhance our season."