By Gareth Thomas Wales captain and record try scorer

It's crazy, I had to pinch myself to realise that I'm playing in the final of the biggest club tournament in Europe.

I've been on the phone to the Lions camp to make sure they don't forget me! Stade Francais v Toulouse

I've only been at Toulouse for a year, but this is the reason why I joined the club.

As I've said before, it's the first final of my professional career - and what an occasion to start with!

I've reached the European quarter-finals with Cardiff and Principality Cup semi-finals with Bridgend, I've won the league with both Welsh clubs - but this is something else!

We haven't really had time to dwell on it. The last two to three weeks our domestic games have been so big that Europe has been in the back of our minds.

I've also had the Lions to consider, knowing there's a massive occasion being planned in Cardiff on Monday.

After the Cup final I still have up to two weeks with Toulouse before flying out to join the Lions in New Zealand, and I know that the later I arrive the less my chances of making the Test side are.

I'll come straight from Edinburgh to Cardiff on Sunday in time to attend the Argentina game, and I've also been on the phone to the Lions camp to make sure they don't forget me!

The final will be as close to international rugby as you can get

But this week it's been all about the Heineken Cup. Toulouse has been covered in black and red, there are flags everywhere and wherever you go people stop you in the street.

I feel a special honour in that I'm representing Wales in a way, trying to join an elite band from the country who have won the competition.

It's been some season for me, but to be honest the motivation in this game is not personal.

It's for my team mates and the club, I've realised how much this competition means to them and to the town as a whole.

Last year's last-second loss to Wasps in the final was cruel, but the team have banned talk about that and moved on.

As to Stade Francais, we beat them convincingly at home but I was away at the time with Wales playing New Zealand.

We lost badly to them in Paris three weeks ago, and we know that this game will be as close to international rugby as you can get.

We know we are capable of a great performance and of winning, but as always with rugby it will come down to how you perform on the day.