There wasn't a wake-up call for Ross Molony, more an understanding that to be happy with what he made of his career he had to get to another level.
The second row has been a regular fixture in the Leinster set-up for almost seven years but it is the last 24 months that he has become a prominent part of Leo Cullen's plans.
With that has come recognition from Andy Farrell, with a call-up to the Ireland camp last summer, although a hoped for first Test cap didn't materialise.
Nevertheless being a part of that environment pushed Molony on still further with his game and the 27-year-old has started each of Leinster's five Champions Cup wins this season.
"I’m just loving my rugby at the moment," he explained. "I got that exposure in the summer, arguably late in the career...let's call it that!
"I went into a different environment, an international set-up. It’s kind of like nearly a bit of a kick, a motivational thing, that this is the level that I want to get to.
"And I feel like I can get to it. I’ve got a run of games together and then keep working on top of the small bits I’ve picked up along the way. I realise what it takes.
"Not that I would have done all that before but it was definitely a little bit of a kick that I needed. I had to constantly work on this, that this is my game and this is what will get me selected for those games."
Always a squad player that could be relied on, Molony insists that he never entered the comfort zone of a senior player who was on the periphery for the big games.
"I think you get found out pretty quickly if that’s your attitude in Leinster," he stated.
"With the quality we have here - and you can see the young players coming up like Joe McCarthy bursting onto the scene this year, I don’t think comfortable is a mind-set anyone can have in here because there is always someone pushing you out the door.
"There wasn’t really a wake-up call. There was definitely a realisation that this is a short career and I have to put everything I possibly can into this career.
"Because when I’m sitting down and looking back at my career post-rugby at whatever age, I want to be happy that I gave everything I could have to get to the next level, win big tournaments for my club and ultimately put on the green jersey."
Tomorrow's game at Welford Road is one of those big ticket fixtures that he will look back upon.
The Champions Cup quarter-final clash pits the URC favourites against the Premiership favourites for a place in the last four.
Steve Borthwick's side are unbeaten at home this season and it will be a cauldron-like atmosphere for Leinster to manage.
But then the Blues are more used than tomorrow's opponents to playing on this stage in recent times.
"We have to use that experience," urged Molony.
"It's going to be a tough environment to go to and we have to use previous successes and failures.
"In knock out rugby you only get one chance and that is the mindset that we have going into it."
A stand-out performance by Molony, as a starter or off the bench, could push him back into Farrell's thinking with the New Zealand tour in mind.
Whether he maintains his place in the line-up could depend on where Cullen sees the fitness of the returning James Ryan and Ryan Baird.
It may be that the Blues supremo decides that risking one of them after a lay-off is OK, but two would be a risk too far.
Molony has his sights on making the trip for the three Test tour.. "I do, yeah," he admitted.
"At the moment, my mindset is that there are two trophies to win with Leinster.
"Summer is obviously one of my goals but it is not to the front of my mind at the moment.
"I’ve said I am putting everything I can into this team and into my performances with this team. If that goes well, hopefully that ends up happening at the end of the season.
"It’s all about this team and what we can do and we have an opportunity to do something special and win two trophies. That starts on Saturday."
What has been highlighted since Leinster last conquered Europe is how the Blues failed to win the arm wrestle with Saracens and La Rochelle in the competition's knock-out stages.
Last year, Exeter Chiefs were supposed to put it up to the province in that regard but the province brushed them aside, only to fall foul of La Rochelle in the semis.
Molony predicts the Tigers will also look to establish physical dominance.
"In terms of physicality, they’re right up there," the lock assessed. "As well as having the physical players in there, they have a system that everyone buys into.
"They’ve proven this season that the system is working for them.
"It’s an opportunity there, we don’t want to just sit down and let them be comfortable with what they are doing. We need to stand up and fight that fire with fire."
Molony insists the key for Leinster is not to panic if Leicester get on top.
"The most important thing for us is how close we stay as a group," he said.
"We’re travelling away from home, there will be a crowd factor that can influence decisions and referees or whatever it will be.
"For us, it’s how tight we can stay and having confidence in our training throughout the week, knowing that whenever we go over there, if we stick to our process we can get the outcome.
"It’s going to be a really tough place to go and play rugby, especially knock-out rugby.
"Their success hasn’t happened by accident this year. Some of the work they have done up front and in the set-piece has been incredibly good.
"Their lineout has worked incredibly well for them this year, Steve Borthwick drives a really good system there and they have the players who understand it very well."
