Ben Youngs believes Leicester Tigers' impressive start to the 2021/22 season is a result of the rebuilding work started during the dark days of last year.
Scrum-half Youngs has been an influential figure in Leicester's immaculate opening to the season that comprises of nine victories in the Gallagher Premiership and a winning start to their Heineken Champions Cup campaign by winning in Bordeaux last weekend.
Connacht are the next assignment in Pool B as the Tigers look to put one foot into the knockout phase and continue a remarkable transformation under head coach Steve Borthwick the England international insists is far from an overnight success.
"If you take your minds all the way back to the first lockdown [in 2020], rugby restarted and we were playing on a Wednesday and a Saturday," Youngs said.
"A huge number of the young lads who are thriving now were playing then. It wasn't pretty at times. I came off the bench against Wasps on a Wednesday night and we lost by around 70 points. There are a lot of lads who played in that.
"It hasn't all been plain sailing for them, and I think sometimes people see what's happening at the weekend now and forget the experiences they had along the way.
"A lot of the guys are better because of the experiences of lockdown and playing at that time. It's not as if it has been an overnight thing."
Youngs will line up alongside Freddie Burns in the halves for Sunday's clash with Connacht, one of six changes Borthwick has made to the starting line-up from last weekend's 16-13 win over Bordeaux Begles.
Fellow England international Ellis Genge, whose return to Bristol Bears next season was confirmed earlier this week, is replaced in the front row by Nephi Leatigaga, while Freddie Steward, Dan Kelly, and second-row pair Harry Wells and Eli Snyman are brought into the team as well.
Connacht, meanwhile, have Ireland centre Bundee Aki back for his first start in two months, with Kieran Marmion lining up in the halves alongside skipper Jack Carty.
A further three internationals are drafted into the pack in Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane, and head coach Andy Friend is excited by the challenge of being the first team to beat Leicester this season.
"We're under no illusions we face one of the biggest challenges in European rugby on Sunday, but it's also very exciting and exactly the kind of occasion you want to play in," Friend, whose side beat Stade Francais 36-9 in Galway last week, said.
"We've brought in a lot of experience which will stand to us for a game like this, and there's some powerful options on the bench as well.
"Tietie Tuimauga has settled in very well so Sunday will be a great stage for him to make his debut if called upon."
Named teams
Leicester Tigers: 15 Bryce Hegarty; 14 Freddie Steward, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Hosea Saumaki; 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Nephi Leatigaga, 2 Nic Dolly, 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Eli Snyman, 6 George Martin, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Dan Cole, 20 Ollie Chessum, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Guy Porter.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran; 14 John Porch, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Alex Wootton; 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion; 1 Matthew Burke, 2 Dave Heffernan, 3 Finlay Bealham, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Niall Murray, 6 Cian Prendergast, 7 Conor Oliver, 8 Jarrad Butler.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Tietie Tuimauga, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Leva Fifita, 20 Abraham Papali'I, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Conor Fitzgerald, 23 Diarmuid Kilgallen.
- Sunday's Champions Cup matches between Scarlets and Bordeaux Belges, Toulouse and Wasps, and Stade Francais and Bristol Bears have been postponed due to travel restrictions imposed by the French government