At another time Ireland's trip to Scotland this weekend could be seen as a Rugby World Cup rehearsal with the sides pencilled in to meet on October 7 at the Stade de France.
But not this time, insists James Ryan - not with so much at stake for both sides in the Six Nations championship.
“No, it’s not," said Ryan. "To be honest, this week is just about putting in a performance that we can be proud of, to go and win in Murrayfield.
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"It's a huge game for us and we're just really excited for it. It could be a pretty special day. When you play in Murrayfield, the bus comes in slowly and the bagpipes are on and there's thousands of Scots there, it's just always a very cool fixture to play in.
"I think it will be a pretty emotive day, they're going for a Triple Crown, going for a championship, so you've got two teams that have everything to play for.
"Hopefully we can start well like we have in the last couple of away games. That will be important.
"It’s going to be pretty special. It’s going to be an incredible atmosphere, they’re going to be very up for it. So all our focus is on this week."
It's a fact that the last time Ryan scored a try for Ireland prior to this Six Nations was against the Scots in the last World Cup, when Joe Schmidt's side overpowered their Celtic rivals in Yokohama.
But the second row has touched down twice in this campaign, in the two previous away games - against Wales and Italy - and he looks back to his best ahead of the Murrayfield collision on Sunday and Ireland seek their eighth win in a row over the Scots.
Right now, Ryan feels a long way from the shoulder and then concussion issues that dogged him prior to missing out on the last Lions tour to South Africa in 2021.
"Yeah, feeling good about it," said Ryan. "The fellahs are slagging me now that I am one of the top try-scorers!
"That's the way it goes, you don't score for a long time and you come up with a couple.
"I'm really enjoying my rugby at the moment, I've been injury free thank God. I feel like confidence and stuff has grown off the back of that."
The 26-year-old admits that period was "difficult at times" but said that, as well as his girlfriend and his family, people like Leinster team doctor Ciaran Cosgrave, Stuart Lancaster, Andy Farrell and Leo Cullen helped him to find balance in the situation and to get through it.
"The stuff I had mostly was concussion so that was the most worrying and frustrating because I copped a few in a short space of time," he said.
"So that was the main issue. That was the one that took the longest to get over.
"But that's what sports' careers are all about. I'm no different.
"You go through ups and downs and stuff like that and it is kind of what shapes you as a player.
"But yeah, I'm glad to be on an injury free run and enjoying my rugby."
Ryan will hand back the captaincy to Johnny Sexton this week after the veteran missed the Italy game last time out with a groin injury.
Leading the side out in Rome and scoring the opening try made it a day to cherish.
"I couldn't get over the amount of Irish support over there," said the giant lock, who was happy to lean on Paul O'Connell and Sexton in the days leading up to the game.
"There were over 50,000 in attendance but half of them must have been Irish, so it was really cool.
"It was very exciting to be with the lads and to get to lead my country was such an honour. And yeah, it was a good game, very close at times, but there was loads of learning in it as well.”
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