Julián Montoya will lead his team mates from the home changing room, through the tunnel, under the famous Breedon Stand and down the terrace steps for the final time this weekend.
While the Leicester Tigers captain is hopeful it isn't the last appearance for him, alongside his teammates, in the green, red, and white, it will be at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as he and the squad face off with Sale Sharks for a place at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, next weekend.
More than 18,000 tickets have now been sold in just six days for the play-off and Montoya, who will run out in front of the home crowd for the final time on Saturday, had a simple response when he was asked about what he hoped Leicester Tigers fans would bring to the play-off.
“Hope? Nothing ... because I don't have to hope for anything, I know that they are going to be there and going to be as great as they always are."
“The last few weeks have been amazing, the way they lift us up. I’ll always be thankful for the fans here; sunny day, rainy day, whether we’re in a good moment or a bad moment, they are there for us.
“So I know it’s going to be loud and a great experience again. I will never take that for granted. They are the best fans I have ever experienced.
“They are as important as the players. They are as important as everyone else in our club.”
The match will be the final appearance at Mattioli Woods Welford Road for not just Montoya, with Handré Pollard and retiring club legends Dan Cole and Ben Youngs among those who will make their way down the terrace steps for the final time on Saturday at 3.30pm.
Speaking about his team mates, the skipper said: Every team is built on its people and these are nice people, nice guys. It’s not just about the 15 or 23 that pull on a jersey during the week, it’s about the whole squad. We are all together."
“There are people who don’t have the privilege to play on the weekend, but they are just as important or even more important to us, and we have the responsibility to make them proud as well because they prepare the team as well as anyone.
“When you’re talking about the team you’re talking about the whole organization – the kit man, the physios, the chef, the cooks, coaches, everyone is part of the team. If you think of it like that, then I think that’s the best way to think about things.
“It’s very selfish to say that changing room is just us – we have the responsibility and are lucky enough to pull on that jersey. That jersey belongs to no one. It's for the club.
“This year I was lucky enough to wear it, next year it’s going to be someone else. The jersey will still be here. We want to make the best we have with our team.”
The Argentinian has featured in the play-off stages of the Premiership twice before, as well as on the international stages with Los Pumas, and when pressed on what he thought helped win knockout fixtures, the response was short and sweet.
"Fundamentals," he said.
"The physicality, the intensity. Then you have a plan, and you want to impose that. Believe in yourself and your team and go and get it.”
Physicality will be key for Montoya and his clubmates up against Sale Sharks, who he believes will bring their very best on Saturday afternoon.
“We know what type of team Sale is, quality players across the full team sheet. So yes, it’s going to be physical," Montoya said.
“But rugby is physical, knock-out rugby especially, that’s what you expect. You play the whole season to be in these games, and it’s super exciting to be in a team that is going to play these matches.
“Yes, it’s going to be physical, yes, it will be intense, but it’s going to be a great game.”
