WASPS have spent a few years in the anteroom of European rugby; on Sunday they return to the grand ballroom determined to make an entrance.

Leinster in Dublin might be one of the toughest assignments in club rugby, but shrinking violets Wasps are not.

A decade ago they were one of the continent’s dominant forces.

Their fall from grace was almost total, but with a new owner and a new stadium they are recovering their swagger and appear to be a club coming to the boil.

Director of rugby Dai Young said: “Being back in Europe is a big thing and there is so much excitement about the place.

“Our players know what past Wasps sides have achieved but they’ve had to watch from afar in the last few seasons.

“Now they’ve got their opportunity and they want to grab it.

“We’ll be very respectful of what is in front of us, but we have nothing to fear.”

Leinster are first up. They lifted the trophy in 2009, 2011 and 2012, they are still the number one ranked team in Europe and the last time the teams met they put nearly 50 points on Wasps at Adams Park.

Young isn’t fazed.

He said: “We’re a much better team than when we played them last time and they’re not quite the team they were.

“They have a great history and tradition and they’ve had some great sides. But I believe they’re a team in transition and we’re a team on the up with bags of confidence.

“If we can find the performance levels we showed against Bath and Northampton there is no reason why we can’t come away with a win.

“I believe we’ve got the firepower to go through them.”

Castres and Harlequins are also grouped with Wasps in the Champions Cup, and Young believes if they hope to make a mark on the competition a win in Dublin is crucial.

He said: “We knew we had to go to Stade [Francais last season] and win, and we’ve had the same sorts of discussions this week.

“Leinster have a few injuries and I think they’ll be strong the the next time we play them, but if we can get a result we’ll be sitting pretty with a home game to come against Quins.”