Tigers face French side Montpelier in Saint-Affrique this evening in their opening game of the Vaquerin Challenge.
All Blacks back-rower Newby has been named in the starting XV for the first match of the summer as Tigers build towards the Guinness Premiership kick-off in September.
Newby said: “The boys are looking forward to playing a game because there will probably be less contact than we have in training!
“It will be fun to play a game instead of smashing each other. We can put into practice the things we have been working on.
“Training has been pretty full on. The forwards have been going head-to-head for the four days or so that we have been here. The five weeks before that, the trainers have been working us pretty hard in the gym and on the field getting us fit and strong.
“It’s been tough at times but it has been a gradual build-up and now we are ready to play.”
Tigers arrived in France on Friday and have been training hard, with temperatures today expected to edge above 30C.
Newby said: “It is good that we are playing at 8pm. It gets quite cool in the evening so hopefully it will be quite nice by kick-off.
“We have five games in pre-season and want to build up to that first league game against Sale Sharks. It is about getting match-fit and match-hardened.”
Tigers begin their home Guinness Premiership campaign against Newby’s former club Newcastle Falcons on Saturday, September 19.
The game will signal the opening of Tigers new Caterpillar Stand and Newby said the squad cannot wait to run out in front of a big Welford Road crowd.
He said: “It will be awesome. I am really looking forward to it. It will be nice to get in front of that big crowd and the new stand. It will be cool.”
Tickets for Tigers’ opening home game of the season are on sale now to season ticket holders and members. Places will go on general sale on Monday. They are available from the Tigers website, the Welford Road ticket office or by calling 0844 856 1880.
