Jonathan Sexton admits Sunday's Heineken Cup semi-final trip to Clermont will be Leinster's toughest assignment yet.
The Irish are bidding to become only the second team ever to win back-to-back European titles, after Leicester in 2001 and 2002, and the first to claim three crowns in four seasons.
But Clermont Auvergne are the French standard-bearers, the coming force in European rugby and the last team to beat Leinster in the Heineken Cup.
It is a clash worthy of the final itself and Ireland fly-half Sexton rates Leinster's challenge as greater than any they have ever faced on the European stage.
"We know this will be the toughest test we have ever faced," Sexton said. "Toulouse a couple of years ago was tough, we think this is going to be even tougher.
"They have such a good squad. Our coach (Joe Schmidt) knows how good they are. It is going to be a really big battle. It is not easy going to France and getting a win.
"We are thinking of it as our final because it's our next game. There is a lot of nervousness but everyone is pretty excited as well.
"We have to play our best to get a result."
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