As a Dublin-born man who has played in plenty of Leinster versus Munster clashes, Dominic Ryan knows a thing or two about local rivalries.
And the back-rower, who joined the club this summer, has been learning a thing or two about the Leicester versus Northampton rivalry from his new team mates.
Tigers face their bitter rivals at Franklin’s Gardens in the traditional Aviva Premiership fire-cracker on Saturday afternoon.
“Leinster and Munster was always a big one with two Irish provinces going head-to-head,” said the 27-year-old blindside.
“In fact, one of my fondest memories was the first professional game in the new Aviva Stadium between Leinster and Munster – and we beat them in a packed stadium.
“Matt Smith and Ben Youngs have been telling me what a big rivalry Tigers v Saints is.
“ben started telling me very early on that the games with Saints are just incredible.
“The big game every year and the one you want to win.
When the 2017/18 fixture list was released, it looked like this week two match-up was going to be the first East Midlands derby in a long while with very little season-defining aspects to it.
But the defeats that both sides suffered in week one has soon changed that.
Tigers will be desperate to avoid hosting Gloucester next week having lost their opening two fixtures, while the nature of Saints’ 50-plus-point hammering by Saracens has made the local natives restless after they finished seventh last season.
Ryan is expecting seismic clash.
“They are a physical and mobile pack and they have an abrasive back row,” he said.
“Tom Wood will probably come back in this week with Teimana Harrison and Jamie Gibson alongside him.
“They are a strong side, have home advantage and it will be a tough task to beat them.
“They had a hammering last week and we got beaten at home.