Eddie O'Sullivan says he fully expects Leinster to overcome the Leicester Tigers and book their place in the semi-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup.
Leo Cullen's side are away to the Premiership leaders in this Saturday's quarter-final at Welford Road (5.30pm), with the winner set to face either Munster or Toulouse in the last four.
The Tigers are the only side to have won six games out of six so far in this season's Champions Cup, with home and away victories versus Connacht and Bordeaux-Begles in the pool stage followed up by a 56-27 aggregate win against Clermont Auvergne in the last 16.
And while Steve Borthwick's side have lost just four games out of 28 across the Premiership and Champions Cup, O'Sullivan believes the 2018 winners have too many weapons at their disposal.
"I'll probably get hammered for saying this, but I think we're giving Leicester too much credit," he said on this week's RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"They're a very good team, no question, but I'd be shocked if Leinster don't beat them at the weekend. I think Leinster are locked and loaded at the moment, they've managed their resources brilliantly.
"They're in a great pace, this has been planned along the way. I'm not taking away from Leicester, they're a good team, top of the Gallagher Premiership, but let's not forget Connacht scared the pants off them in the European Cup. At Welford Road the final score was 29-23, and the score at the Sportsground was 28-29.
"Leicester are a good team but we shouldn't make them out to be.... I just think Leinster are a better side, they have more strings to their bow."
Last year's Challenge Cup finalists have kicked on further this season, and will be favourites to win their first Premiership title since 2013, with the club four points clear at the top of the table with two games left in the regular season.
Under Borthwick, the Tigers have leant heavily on their strong kicking game and a dominant setpiece, which Connacht found out in their two pool meetings with the Premiership side.
However, O'Sullivan doesn't see Leicester's famous 'ABC Club' overpowering the visitors in the same way La Rochelle and Saracens have in recent seasons.
"Leinster aren't going to get bullied up front, don't be codding... If anyone says that, you're codding yourself," added the former Ireland head coach.
"Look at that Leinster pack, it's effectively an Irish pack by and large. It's not going to get pushed around Welford Road.
"It's just a really, really good team [Leinster], arguably one of the best teams in Europe. Toulouse might have something to say about that if they get past Munster.
"We're probably talking Leicester up a bit. I don't see the evidence, in Europe that Leicester are as good as we make them out to be. Connacht really could have had them twice, so for that reason I'm very optimistic about Leinster winning in Leicester.
"If they lose in Welford Road, they'll be devastated, because it would unhinge the potential of a huge season.
"Despite what Leicester bring to the table, I just think Leinster have too much firepower, whether up front or in the backline. I'm more relaxed about this than maybe some people are. It's Leinster's game to lose, if they play to par they're going to win."
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