Hayden Triggs has paid an emotional tribute to Leinster as his time at the province draws to a close, and said "it’s not a factor of wanting to win the Pro12, it’s needing to" as he looks to leave on a high.
The 35-year-old Kiwi second-row will depart after a hugely challenging year.
Last October, he publicly thanked the club's fans for the swell of support he received following the tragic loss of his baby daughter, who died two days after she was born.
There was a minute's silence before Leinster's derby clash with Munster at the Aviva Stadium, which was impeccably observed, and Triggs shared his deep desire to leave a lasting impression as he heads for the exit door.
"For me, Leinster aside, it’s not a factor of wanting to win it, it’s needing to," he told RTÉ Sport.
"To lift a bit of silverware and leave a mark on the club... I want nothing more. I want nothing more than for my kids to say I went out as a champion.
"I have no shame in saying that my family, my wife and my kids and I are leaving a part of ourselves in Dublin. I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been to a few cities around the world and hand on heart I can say Leinster is the best club I’ve ever been to.
"The support system around it is honestly five-star world class. We tried our hardest to stay in Dublin, after rugby, but it hasn’t worked out. We’re a little bit sad about that, but I’ll be back."
Leo Cullen's men prepare for a play-off semi-final against Scarlets at the RDS on Friday night with history on their side.
No team has ever lost a play-off last-four collision on home soil, but Triggs warned against complacency and urged his team-mates to use the pain of last year's final defeat to Connacht - as well as the Champions Cup loss against Clermont last month - to fuel their drive for glory.
It’s very nice to be at home playing in front of our fans, in front of our family, in our lovely RDS Arena.
"We’re attacking this week as this week. We’re not focused or worried about what’s going to happen after that.
"We’re going to show the respect that Scarlets deserve. They’ll be coming here with a bit of momentum.
"We know they’re a tough team and they’re playing good footy.
"It’s very nice to be at home playing in front of our fans, in front of our family, in our lovely RDS Arena. It’s a massive boost but with that comes a bit of pressure.
"The fact that we’re playing on our ground brings a certain expectation from our group.
"We're motivated to do well, we want to win, we want succeed we want to leave the club in a better place we find it every season. We're trying to build. Hopefully on Friday we can prove it."
Listen to live coverage of the Pro12 semi-final between Leinster and Scarlets on Friday (19.45pm) on Friday night's Game On on 2FM.
Live coverage of the second semi-final between Munster v Ospreys (6.15pm) and Northampton v Connacht in the Champions Cup play-off (4pm) on Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
