WORCESTER Warriors open their European Challenge Cup campaign against Montpellier at Sixways on Saturday (2pm) and chairman Cecil Duckworth is backing the club to challenge for a Heineken Cup spot.

As well as the French team, Worcester must face Sicilian side Amatori Catania and Irishmen Connacht both home and away in the group stages.

"These matches are games we are well capable of winning and we set out optimistically to win our group and progress to the quarter- finals," said Duckworth.

If that happens, they will be just three wins from a place in European rugby's premier competition for next season.

Duckworth added: "Our ultimate aim is to be successful both in the Premiership and in Europe, and this season we have the possibility of progressing to the Heineken Cup for the 2006/7 season in two ways.

"One is to come fourth in the Guinness Premiership and the other is to win the European Challenge Cup.

"It would be nice to do both!"

Duckworth is delighted with Warriors' start to the season and believes they can build on their current position of fifth place.

He said: "We have started the season in a very positive and satisfactory way.

"Naturally our ambition is to ensure we continue to improve and ultimately we believe we can finish fourth, behind Leicester, Wasps and Sale."