European Champions Cup: Ulster will 'go toe to toe' with Toulouse - Madigan

Madigan has been capped 30 times by Ireland

Ulster fly-half Ian Madigan says the Irish province will "go toe to toe" with French giants Toulouse in Friday's Champions Cup game at Kingspan Stadium.

Ulster are aiming to avenge their 36-8 defeat by the Top 14 outfit in last season's quarter-final in September when they meet in the Pool B opener.

"When you get to European week you try to up everything across the board.

"We are the team playing at home so we aim to step up physically and put them under pressure," said Madigan.

The 31-year-old has previous experience of playing in the continent's premier club competition with Leinster and Bordeaux Begles.

The 30-times capped Ireland international was part of the Leinster squad which won back-to-back European titles in 2011 and 2012 but his focus is now on helping Ulster make progress in the tournament.

'Pinnacle of European club game'

"I have great memories of playing in the Heineken Cup with Leinster and Bordeaux but for me personally this match is exciting as it's my first time to play in the European Cup for three seasons. My last game was against Ulster in Belfast.

"It's definitely the pinnacle of the club game and it's what you work towards - you want to play well in the league - make the most of your opportunities and put your best foot forward for selection for Europe.

"I feel I have done that this season."

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'Analysis of opposition important'

Madigan says the Ulster squad will carry the momentum from their eight-game winning start to the Pro14 into European competition but agrees with coach Dan McFarland that facing the pick of the continent's teams represents a bigger challenge.

"It's a step up going from the Pro14 to the European Cup - when you play in the Pro14 you concentrate on getting yourselves right and you go out and try to execute that really well.

"A lot of the time that's going to be enough to win but with European games you need to really study your opposition.

"A lot of these guys in the Toulouse back-line have a huge amount to their game, whether it's a left-foot step, a right-foot step, what arm they carry the ball with, who has got real top end speed, you need to be really on your game with that.

"Your analysis of the opposition is something you definitely spend more time on than you would on a given week in the Pro14.

"What is most pleasing is how we have built week to week across the past eight week in training - how we have seen our game grow.

"We feel our game is in a really good place now and we're looking forward to a bigger challenge this weekend and growing further."

Scrum-half Antoine Dupont will pose a major threat to Ulster

Toulouse stars 'must be deprived of time'

French internationals, centre Romain Ntamack and fly-half Thomas Ramos, are just two of the attacking threats possessed by Friday's visitors to Belfast, with scrum-half Antoine Dupont another pivotal figure for the semi-finalists of the last two seasons.

"With Ramos and Ntamack it's difficult to know what they're going to do as I don't think they know themselves sometimes," continued Madigan.

"They're both unpredictable and they both have a huge amount to their games, while Dupont is probably one of the best scrum-halves in the world.

"We have to start by putting them under pressure and taking their time away - that's what we will be looking to do.

"If you sit back and give these guys time it just opens up options for them. If we get in their face and take their time away, we feel we'll be able to play on top of them."