Stuart Lancaster insists Steve Borthwick's claim that Leinster have an unfair advantage over Leicester coming into their crunch Euro clash is wide of the mark.
The Tigers host the Blues at Welford Road on Saturday in the clash of the two League leaders - Leicester sit on top of the Premiership, Leinster at the summit of the URC.
Leinster were able to keep almost all of their frontliners at home working with Lancaster while Leo Cullen guided their second string in South Africa to the losing bonus points required to guarantee top seeding in the URC and a home quarter-final.
In another boost, James Ryan, Rónan Kelleher and Ryan Baird are all available to return to the pack.
Tigers head coach Borthwick, meanwhile, selected a full-strength side for a comfortable win over Bristol that keeps his club ahead of the Premiership pack.
“The context is quite different," said Borthwick, referring to the build-up for both sides as they prepare to meet for the first time since the 2011 quarter-final win by Leinster.
"Look at the size of their squad, the number of internationals in their squad and the nature of their League, it is very different.
"Compare that to where we are at, the Premiership is a fierce competition and we've had games we want to get results in and that's what it is.
"We operate under a salary cap and limited squad size. Leaving one squad in South Africa and one in Ireland is a different situation.
“They are a very good side, they have been together a long time. We're getting to test ourselves against an outstanding team at the very early stages of the project we are on.
"Look at France - their budgets are not that dissimilar to Leinster in terms of budget and caps and it is one of the challenges we need to get over.
"Hopefully we'll be able to ask some questions of Leinster."
Lancaster will have relished the opportunity to work with Leinster's top stars for two whole weeks uninterrupted.
But the province's senior coach claims that it will mean nothing if the Blues can't get up to speed quickly to the intensity that Leicester will look to start with.
“I’m not sure it is an advantage to be going to South Africa before a Champions Cup quarter-final - I’m not sure anyone would wish for that in their preparation," said the ex-England supremo in response to Borthwick's comments.
"Hence the decision we made because if we weren’t clear in the URC – and we earned that right by working so hard during the course of the season – then we might have made a different decision.
"But we are and we did.
"It’s played out that way and it means that we, you could argue, haven’t played since Connacht, and Leicester are battle-hardened and ready.
"When we look at the quality of Leicester every player is, or has been, an international player or will be in the likes of Jack van Poortvliet or Dan Kelly.
"(Nemani) Nadolo is an Fiji international, Freddie Stewart is excellent. The list goes on, really.
"They've recruited really well and they have got good homegrown talent coming through.
"In the half-backs in particular, Ford and Youngs are both England players, as I know better than anyone.
"It will be a great matchup across the board but I don’t think we have an unfair advantage.
"It’s right up there, it’s one of the toughest challenges we have faced for sure on a variety of fronts and we'll have to be at our best, for sure."
