Leicester Tigers' players know exactly what to expect when they walk out at Franklin's Gardens to face Northampton Saints tonight.
The Aviva Premiership play-off semi-final will be no place for faint hearts on either side as Tigers set about extending an unbeaten sequence against the Saints which now stretches back 10 matches.
Toby Flood, restored to fly-half tonight, will be at the heart of matters for the defending champions, who are the only side to beat Saints on their own patch in the Premiership this term.
"The week is similar to a Heineken Cup week," said Flood. "There is a bit of a vibe there. Our team is experienced so we aren't going to be blasé about it. We are very switched on.
"Come game-time we know what we will be facing – a torrent of noise from the stands and a torrent of physicality from Northampton Saints. We have to be aware of that."
Given the fact that Tigers have pretty much had exclusivity to bragging rights over their neighbours in recent times, Leicester will fancy their chances of continuing that trend and making it through to another final.
Flood, though, says the Tigers camp know that they will have to earn that right, and probably via the toughest of routes, whatever the nature of recent derby results.
"There have been games where Saints could have won," said Flood. "There have been some very close battles.
"In all honesty, it isn't a mental thing. We have struggled in the past against Saracens and Harlequins but there is no mental fear or feeling of resignation.
"It's just that we haven't got it right on the day.
"So we aren't looking at the Saints game thinking that we only have to turn up, put the pressure on them and they will crumble."
With so much at stake, it is highly likely that the game will go down to the wire with two of the English game's heavyweights trading blows – hopefully in a tactical sense – from first whistle to last.
"We have to match Saints physically," added Flood. "They have some outstanding players who can create a lot out of very little. They have a strong set-piece game, too, driven by Dorian West."
The sides are coming off contrasting matches on the final day of the regular season.
Tigers and Saracens chose to make changes to their teams and played out a close encounter at Welford Road.
At the same time, Saints were dominating a Wasps side at Franklin's Gardens.
"The game we had against Harlequins was a real game in terms of ferocity," said Flood. "The Sale match wasn't quite what we wanted. It was a mixed bag for both teams against Saracens and the sides didn't get the hit out they wanted.
"Northampton put 70 points on Wasps and that wouldn't have been exactly what they wanted, either.
"But you can only be as confident as you allow yourself to be."
