Fit-again Robert Baloucoune can't wait to test himself against James Lowe when Ulster face Leinster on Saturday.
The two Ireland wings will battle it out for their respective sides in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup in the Aviva Stadium (5.30pm, live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1).
Baloucoune started for Ireland in autumn wins against South Africa and Fiji but missed the Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam run through injury.
The 25-year-old scored a try on his comeback for Ulster against the Bulls in last weekend’s URC win and, with a World Cup on the horizon, is eager to show Andy Farrell what he is capable of when he comes up against one of Ireland’s top performers from the championship run.
Asked for his impression of the 30-year-old Leinster back, Baloucoune, who has four caps, said: "He’s a great lad, he’ll chat to me and he helped me whenever I was trying to learn my roles when I got capped.
"He’s a class player, you can see that on a pitch and what he has done for Ireland and for Leinster. That’ll be tough opposition to play against but it’s something I am looking forward to.
"He’s got a bit of everything. He doesn’t really look like he is running that fast [but] he’s moving quickly.
"He is strong, got a range of skills which is why he is there. He’s got a cannon of a left foot and he’s just an all-round good player. I am going to have to be on the ball.
"I was injured during the Six Nations so this is a huge chance for me to show what I can do against tough opposition, top players and people playing in my position.
"The guys on the team say that I have timed it right for Europe. It’s been tough missing some big games during the year."
As for weaknesses in the Kiwi’s game, he said with a smile: "I’d like to say that I have a bit more gas than him. We will keep that to ourselves."
On the carrot of a spot in Farrell's RWC squad, he said: "It is huge, it is always in the back of your head, but you are playing against people in positions that I am fighting for so, it's a big game for me to show what I can do.
"I will be trying to do that for the full game."
Ulster beat Leinster home and away in last season's URC and the win in Dublin, Baloucoune says, gives them confidence they can repeat the trick against the competition favourites, who beat Dan McFarland's side 21-18 in the knock-out stages in 2019.
"It definitely does," he said.
"Judging by the past, the last time we did play them in Europe we were close to beating them. There is a buzz about the place."
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Watch Leinster v Ulster in the Heineken Champions Cup on Saturday from 4.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, and also watch Scotland v Wales in the TikTok Women's Six Nations (Saturday, 5.30pm) on the RTÉ Player.
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