Cardiff are ready to defy European Cup officials by naming prop Peter Rogers in their starting line-up to face Toulouse at the Arms Park on Saturday.

Rogers was snapped up from Welsh rivals Newport and named in Cardiff's 30-man squad before the competition began.

The club insist the transfer was only completed after consultation with the ERC and Welsh Rugby Union officials who both confirmed that Rogers would be eligible for European Cup duty.

However, because he was originally named in Newport's 30-man party at the start of the season, Cardiff have now been told by ERC chief executive Derek McGrath that Rogers cannot play.

Operations director David Jenkins insists the case is not the same as that of Saracens centre Tim Horan, who the ERC refuse to register because he was contracted to the Australian Rugby Union when the London club placed him on their European Cup rota.

And he confirmed that Cardiff are still considering whether to ignore the ERC edict and play Rogers anyway. "We have not picked a team yet but playing Peter is an option," said Jenkins.

"We asked a question of someone at the ERC and the response we received led us to signing him. We are convinced of our argument and do not believe you can bracket it into the same category as the others which have arisen.

"But what we would like to see is the ERC holding a meeting to decide what is going to happen rather than just rely on the chief executive to make his own decisions as they come along."

France have called up 46 players to take part in two Monday training sessions, October 16th and 23rd, in preparation for the visit of Australia (November 4th) and New Zealand (November 11th and 18th).

Hooker Raphael Ibanezis is sidelined for a month with an ankle injury but centre Emile Ntamack may make the games though not the training sessions.