Foden: Targeted Heineken Cup glory

Since their return to the top flight in 2008, Saints have established themselves among the Premiership's most formidable teams.

The Franklin's Gardens trophy cabinet has been filled with the European Challenge Cup and LV=Cup, but a major of piece of silverware still eludes the current squad.

With their title assault reduced to one front following last weekend's Premiership play-off defeat by Leicester, their showdown with Leinster at Millennium Stadium has taken on greater significance.

Talent-laden Saints have been showered with praise for their progress in recent seasons, but Foden admits it is essential they take the next step.

"We need a major statement because this club is all about major silverware and winning major finals," said the England full-back.

"We want to get this club back to where it should be, which is being in the top four in the Premiership and winning trophies.

"We want to compare ourselves to the Leicesters of the world.

"We have been building every year and now we have taken a stride forward on last year.

"But we must start winning major trophies, so it's important that we take a chance like tomorrow."

Saints lifted the Heineken Cup in 2000, beating Munster 9-8 at Twickenham, only to subsequently endure some lean years that reached their nadir with their descent into the second tier of English rugby.

"Winning tomorrow would be massive. Obviously Northampton were in a dark place a few years ago when they got relegated," added Foden.

"But now we have reached our first major final - if the Heineken Cup and Premiership are the two you aim for - and we need to take this chance with both hands.

"We want to put Northampton back on the map."

Rebuilt under the guidance of director of rugby Jim Mallinder, Saints have emerged as major players in Europe.

Alongside Leinster they are hoping to become only the fifth team to win the Heineken Cup twice, and the fifth English club to lift the trophy.

Standing in Saints' path are the 2009 winners and clear favourites, who field an outstanding starting line-up containing 12 Ireland internationals with another four on the bench.

Northampton boast four England players, but Foden distances himself from talk of revenge for the Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road in March that ended with a thumping Ireland win.

"It's a different situation, a different group of players," he said.

"I know a lot of people are saying it's Ireland-England, the re-match, but not really for us.

"We are Northampton Saints, an English team, but we have players from all over the place and the same goes for them."

Among Leinster's battalion of Ireland stars is Brian O'Driscoll, who has recovered from a knee injury to take his place in the team.

"I admired Brian O'Driscoll when I was younger and I still admire him today," said Foden.

"He's still doing great things for Ireland and Leinster. Someone like him goes down in the history books as one of the all-time greats.

"Obviously Leinster were playing a few mind games over whether he was going to play or not, but I was always 110 per cent sure he'd take the field whether he has a knee or not!

"I want him to play as I want Leinster to field their strongest team and if we win I don't want people making excuses, saying 'they missed this player or that player'.

"I want it to be our best 15 against their best 15 and to really battle it out so that if we are crowned champions, we have done it the hard way."

Leinster provide three of the five nominees for European player of the year in Jamie Heaslip, Isa Nacewa and Sean O'Brien.

Saints supply Soane Tonga'uiha and given both sides' attacking ambition, it is easy to be seduced by Foden's claim that Saturday's showdown will be a classic.

"It will come down to who wants it more. I don't believe anyone will run away with it, the two teams are pretty evenly matched," he said.

"Leinster pride themselves on winning in European rugby, and they want to win it to add to their collection of trophies they have already built up.

"It will be a massive game between two of the best sides in Europe, who play probably the most attractive rugby in Europe, meeting each other on a grand occasion.

"Hopefully it will be a great game, for the neutral fan as much as everyone on both sides."