Francis fired up for the Saints
Tomas Francis insists Exeter Chiefs are ready for the challenge a fired up Northampton Saints will bring to Sandy Park in a potentially pivotal Aviva Premiership Rugby clash this Sunday (2pm).
The East Midlands outfit were well beaten by Clermont Auvergne in their European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final, while the Chiefs recorded a resounding 48-13 win over Newcastle Falcons to reach their first-ever European semi-final in the Challenge Cup.
Those contrasting fortunes are forgotten this weekend, however, with Rob Baxter's men looking to return to the Aviva Premiership Rugby top four after a narrow defeat at Welford Road in Round 18.
Success over the current table-toppers would make that a distinct possibility, and 22-year-old Francis believes his team are in a great position to do exactly that, despite the intensity Northampton will inevitably bring to the south-west.
"After going to Clermont and getting a bit of a lesson, we know they'll be coming down here absolutely firing," the tight-head said.
"We also beat them up at Franklin’s Gardens earlier in the season, so they really will be fighting here - but that just excites us even more as a group.
"They'll be looking for a fight and we are ready to take them on in that.
"We put our game on well when we beat them last time, we took them on at what we think their strengths are, and our fitness and everything else came together, so it just came to fruition.
"I think whoever wins the upfront battle will win the game, and if you're scared about that there's no point playing. It is what you want in rugby - to play the best and to beat them."
Francis' debut season in Aviva Premiership Rugby has been a memorable one since he travelled west from London Scottish, making 16 appearances in the front row during the Chiefs assault on all three competitions.
And while the LV= Cup fell agonisingly out of their grasp in March, strong displays in the Premiership and European Rugby Challenge Cup have made it a special year thus far for the Welsh forward.
"Everyone around the club is so excited after last week, we made history for the club and now every game is getting bigger and bigger," he added. "Every game is a different challenge, and it is a one week focus at a time which is ideal. When one week is over you move on and enjoy the next one.
"It's been a bit surreal really. I have achieved more than I could have ever hoped in my first season here, when I first arrived one Premiership start would have made me happy - it's been amazing.
"The support at Exeter is incredible, the crowd are absolutely mad for the game, they love it. The lift you get even just running out for the warm up can inspire you, it is that brilliant."