Jack Conan is fully ready for a Connacht onslaught after revealing he struggled for several months after he got Covid over Christmas.
While plenty of players contracted the coronavirus, most have quickly got back up to speed.
In Conan's case it took time and was a factor in an under-par Six Nations for the back rower.
Conan took off for a week-long sun holiday when the championship ended to prepare for Leinster's charge on the Champions Cup and URC fronts. He returned feeling strong again.
“I had Covid over Christmas and that kind of gave me a kick up the ass," he said.
"I definitely felt it in my lungs for a long time. I struggled with that a little bit coming back in.
“I feel good now. I love being at Leinster. I love the challenge that's ahead of us. It's nine weeks of pretty much knockout rugby - all these games that we have to go out there and win.
“I'm excited to be back here. I probably feel physically better than I have in the last few months.
“I just want to put my best foot forward and finish the season on a real high.”
While he started for Ireland against Wales and France, Conan was on the bench for the Italy and England games before starting in the final round win over Scotland.
The 29-year-old describes his Six Nations as "a bit stop-start", adding that he was "obviously frustrated".
He reflected: "I underperformed by my own standards. France away, it didn't click for us. It didn't click for me personally.
“I had a few moments that I look back upon and, not that I didn't give it my best, but it wasn't the best result for me and I made mistakes.
“I found it to be a big learning curve. In saying that, I enjoyed it. It's always great to be part of that group.
"It was nice to come back in by the end of it and even play my part against Italy and England, then get back on the starting team for Scotland.
“It's never a smooth road, these campaigns, and playing rugby. There are a lot of ups and downs. You need to take the good with the bad and learn from it.
"I know I'll be better for it.”
The Greystones man insists the novel nature of the two-legged tie against Connacht is "completely irrelevant", with all thoughts on the Sportsground clash rather than what's to come next week at the Aviva Stadium.
“We're all in and all focused on Friday night in Galway because we know that it's knockout rugby," he stressed.
“The last thing we need to do is come back with a deficit and needing something big. This is finals rugby and there's a final on Friday night.
“There's some sense of familiarity, it being Connacht. You know the lads so well but we know that no matter what Connacht team we scout, it's not going to be the team that shows up because European rugby brings the best out of everyone.
“We know they will be better than they have been in the last few weeks. They will definitely be better than what they showed against us a few weeks ago in Galway.
“It will be a different atmosphere altogether. Those lads will be going out there, a bit of club history being made, so we're aware of the emotion that's attached to it.
“We've been bringing it back to us and our process, the details we need to get right to make sure that we bring our best performance.
"That's what is going to be needed to get the win.”
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