EBBW Vale have been drawn to face former Heineken Cup semi-finalists Pau in the quarter-finals of the Parker Pen Shield next month - and coach Mike Ruddock expects his side to "front up" to the tough task.

The first leg will be played at Pau on the weekend of January 10-12 and the second at Eugene Cross Park the following weekend.

Caerphilly have been drawn to play Italian side Parma with the first leg at home. Ruddock commented: "Ideally we would like to have drawn an Italian side, but we have fronted up to French sides before and performed well against them.

"Pau's record (Heineken Cup semi-finalists in 1997-98 and quarter-finalists in 2000-2001) speaks for itself and though they have slipped from those heights any side which regularly plays well in the French League is going to be tough.

"They played Bridgend earlier this season in the Parker Pen Cup and though they went out (33-27 on points) they were quite comfortable winners at home (18-6) and are obviously a quality side.

"But we have usually performed well and fronted up to strong French sides in the past (Vale beat Montauban at home in the Parker Pen Cup this season and Agen and Montauban at home the previous season plus Perigueux the previous season).

"I think we often perform better against overseas sides while we sometimes go into our shell against familiar Welsh sides."