Ollie Chessum says there has been a "special feeling" at the club's Oval Park base in the build-up to Saturday's Gallagher Premiership Final.
The Leicester Tigers lock has a busy summer ahead, as part of the British & Irish Lions touring party to Australia, but before that, has his sights set on a second Premiership title.
While he has been there before, the 24-year-old doesn't confess to knowing the perfect way to prepare for a Final and is grateful the side has Michael Cheika at the helm to manage them through.
“I’ve not been in too many finals, so it’s hard to say what's the best way to do things. But that is why Michael [Cheika] has been so good for us and why we’ve got ourselves to the position we have this season," he said.
“Our approach to games, our mindset, our preparation during the week – he always says we will fall to the level of our training, and that has carried us home, amongst other things, for that last block of the season.
“The coaches have it planned out how they want the training week to run, then it’s down to us as players to take hold of it. The emotional stuff will come on Saturday and not before then."
On the magnitude of the game, he added: “You know what’s on the line at the weekend. It’s one game to define your season. It's one game left for some of these guys' careers, let alone the season, and one that will either leave a bitter taste or a real sweet one."
"But, it's hugely exciting, the boys can’t wait ... there’s been a special feeling about the whole week."
After winning the title in 2022, Tigers were knocked out in the play-offs a year later and then finished 8th on the Premiership ladder last season.
Looking back on the turnaround in just twelve months, Chessum said change was needed across the board.
“We were in a real good spot a few years ago, and we lost our way a little bit, that's there to be seen, and that’s how we found ourselves in eighth place. There’s no denying that change needed to happen in quite a few aspects," he said.
“The way Cheika has come in, though, we’ve not changed too much technically or learnt too much we didn’t already know, it’s mainly about that mental and emotional side of the game."
Tigers come up against the side they haven't beaten so far this season, Bath Rugby, who finished in top spot on the ladder after the regular season.
On the Premiership Final opponents, Chessum said: “They have incredible squad depth, from 1 to 23 and beyond that. That bench is a big factor in how they have blown teams away in the last 20 minutes of games."
“I’d love to say I know how to break it down but we haven’t beaten them this year, which is the true nature of it. They’ve got a huge pack; they don’t just play a stylish brand of rugby, they’ve got a huge pack to break you down physically as well.
“They’re a great team and we’ll need to front up across the board to beat them and need to be at our best to beat them. But, that’s the beauty of the challenge and the beauty of finals rugby, and we’ll see what happens at the weekend."
