New signing Tatafu Polota-Nau says Leicester Tigers need to find consistency in their performances as they head into the second half of the season.

And the Australia international believes that if they do put it together across the full 80 minutes then the Tigers will be hard to stop.

Polota-Nau, who made his first start for Tigers in the New Year’s Eve defeat to Exeter Chiefs, said: “We need to be brilliant at the basics. Once we master that, we’re going to be hard to stop.

“We need consistency in collisions, both in attack and defence. Our biggest issue is getting consistency right.”

Capped 82 times by the Wallabies, Polota-Nau compared the intensity of Sunday’s bruising encounter at Sandy Park to that of a Test matches.

“It was similar out there in physicality and intensity to a Test match against England for Australia,” he said, before adding that he knew the Aviva Premiership “would be up there” in physicality.

Now entering his twelfth month of rugby, after beginning his final Super Rugby season in February, Polota-Nau admitted he’s still finding his feet among new team-mates but will use neither as an excuse.

“Personally, for me, I am all about getting a result for the team,” he said about settling in to the environment.

“There’s times where I haven’t had much idea about where to be on the field but, the guys have been so great in getting me to understand the terminology of the group and how we do things.

“In saying all of that, it’s now my turn to give back to the group in making sure that I can contribute in defence and ball carries around the pitch.

“We need to get away from the Exeter game but, it doesn’t mean we don’t and won’t address it in the week. Hopefully the Irish are the ones who pay for it next week.”

Match tickets for Tigers’ return to Welford Road this weekend are available now. Call the ticket office on 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or click below to book online.