Northampton Saints director Jim Mallinder believes English clubs should improve on last season's showing in Heineken Cup.

Saints were the only English team to reach the quarter-finals, where they lost 33-19 to Munster.

Mallinder told BBC Look East: "There's general disappointment at how the English clubs did last season.

"But you look at the teams in the Cup this season, and most of them are doing well in the Premiership."

Saints are in a pool with Edinburgh, Cardiff Blues and Castres Olympique. They face the French side at Franklin's Gardens on Friday 8 October, 2000 GMT.

"We have to step up now," said Mallinder.

"We want to repeat our successful Heineken Cup campaign from last season and go a stage further.

"Castres is a tricky game. We've seen them at home and away, and they're a good outfit. Last year, we had Munster at home in the first round, and the crowd got behind the team.

"We hope to recreate that atmosphere and result."

You can hear Northampton Saints versus Castres Olympique in the Heineken Cup on 104.2 and 103.6 FM BBC Radio Northampton from 1950 on Friday. UK listeners can hear the match commentary from the BBC Sport website.

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