This is Leicestershire --Argentina prop Marcos Ayerza says the size of the task facing Leicester Tigers is an added motivating factor on his return to club action.
The 30-year-old loose-head is back from four months representing his country in the Rugby Championship and autumn internationals.
With the birth of his first child, Mercedes, coming in between the two tournaments, it has been a busy time for the veteran of seven seasons at Welford Road.
However, any suggestions of tiredness on a mental or physical scale are quickly dispelled by a man who will be closing in on 200 appearances for his club by the end of this campaign.
"The intensity of the Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup is massive, but there is also a huge amount of excitement involved with those sort of big games coming up," said Ayerza.
"There are moments throughout the year that you really look forward to and these are some of them.
"We have to get into the play-offs in the league and beat Montpellier in Europe.
"They are both amazing challenges.
"Those sort of challenges make you forget about the tiredness and mental toughness of a long season.
"The competition is now and we have to respond.
"As a team, we have some important games coming up in both the Premiership and Europe.
"The challenge for me personally is that the internationals are over now.
"It now time to concentrate on Leicester. That is my club and I want to do my best for them."
Boris Stankovich is in possession of the No.1 shirt but, with Logovi'i Mulipola still out with injury, Ayerza is likely to return to the match-day squad at Kingsholm on Friday, as Tigers face a Gloucester side struggling in 10th place in the Premiership table.
Ayerza cannot wait to get back into action in a Tigers shirt. "Gloucester is one of the toughest places in the world to go and play rugby," he said.
"If they get momentum from their crowd, they can play good rugby and show that they are a good side.
"We have to stick to what we know we can do well and give them no time or space."
Tigers' AGM is taking place at Welford Road tonight at 6.30pm.
Club officials will discuss an operating profit of £396,000 in the financial year for 2012-13 – a strong turnaround from a £1million loss the previous year. Their results were based on a turnover of £19m – up from £17.3m in 2012.
Season-ticket numbers for the 2012-13 season also reached an all-time high of 14,732. Reported by This is 14 hours ago.