H Cup: Pool-by-pool guide

Wasps bowed out in the group stages last year after two defeats to Leicester and this year have defending champions Toulouse in their pool.

Dawson told BBC Sport: "We were very disappointed with those back-to-back defeats by Leicester last year.

"It was a shame we had one dodgy month which blew us away in the competition."

The English champions open up their European campaign away to Edinburgh on Sunday in a pool which is rounded off by the Scarlets.

But Dawson is clear where Wasps' biggest challenge will come from.

Having tasted victory a couple of years ago the guys are desperate to get back and do it again Matt Dawson

"When the draw came out Toulouse were probably the last team we expected to get," he said, "but if you want to win this competition you have got to beat the best teams and win some pretty big games.

"So whether it is in the pool stages or in the latter stages it makes no odds really."

After last year's triumph, Toulouse are the only club to have won the Heineken Cup three times, while Wasps won it two years ago - prior to Dawson's arrival.

And the England scrum-half, who lifted the trophy with former club Northampton in 2000, believes past success will spur on him and his team-mates.

Whoever wins Wasps' group will go on to win the Heineken Cup From A Have your say on Scrum V

"There is a huge focus at the club this year on Europe," he said. "And having tasted victory a couple of years ago the guys are desperate to get back and do it again."

Wasps coach Ian McGeechan has yet to land Europe's major prize, which is another spur to success for Dawson.

"The Heineken Cup is one of the few trophies he hasn't lifted, although he was very influential in Northampton's victory in 2000, even though he left in '99," said Dawson.

"The squad that was successful was really down to Geech. Good coaches change all the time, they don't stay in the same mould and regurgitate the same chat.