Jimmy Gopperth was the man bought by Leinster to replace Johnny Sexton - and was in the Blues side that came so close to a Champions Cup final in 2015.
Eight years on, Gopperth is trying to take out Leinster in the competition's knock-out stages, having failed to do so with Wasps in 2017. He joined Leicester last summer, after their quarter-final loss to the Blues last year.
He will be 40 in July. And we thought Sexton was old!
READ MORE: Leinster 'juggernaut' has learned from Champions Cup heartbreak - Leicester's Richard Wigglesworth
“It’s always nice playing against your old teammates, a lot of those guys I played with," said the Kiwi, who left Leinster soon after that 2015 semi-final defeat to Toulon.
“Look, I absolutely loved my time in Dublin. Great city, great people. I have some really fond memories, winning the PRO14 I think it was called back then - then had the devastating loss in the semi-final to Toulon.
"I'd some great rugby memories, but more so, just created some great friends from that team.
"I still keep in touch with a lot of them, with Mike McCarthy and Brendan Macken over this way. Actually, Brendan Macken ended up being my brother-in-law, which is a long story!
“We catch up with Jordi Murphy and a few of those boys.
"It’s a big occasion, European rugby, and one step closer to lifting the trophy as everyone wants to do.
"Hopefully there are a few more opportunities but you’ve got to take them as they come and really enjoy the occasion. These are the games everyone wants to be a part of.
"I've always had a mentality of play until I wake up in the morning and don't feel like going to training or I don't get a contract, pretty much.
“That's just because I love the game and if I still feel like I can give something to the team to help them grow and win, then that's what I want to do. I just love winning.”
But Gopperth knows that the odds are stacked against the Tigers, although they are the reigning Premiership champions. Leinster are unbeaten throughout this season and have home advantage.
"I’ve got fond memories of the Aviva and I’m sure it’s going to be a hell of an atmosphere on Friday night," he said.
"Everyone loves knockout rugby. You’ve got to fight for the whole 80 minutes. You’ve just got to put everything out on the field, it’s one shot, 80 minutes, great occasions."
Beating Leinster is the Tiger's toughest assignment of the season. Gopperth points the way to how they can achieve it.
“Look, we all know what kind of outfit they are, the style of rugby they play, short passes, fast attack," he said. "So it’s just about slowing their ball down through being right on top of them in our defence and giving them no room to move.
"You see certain teams that have done well against them and it’s their physicality first and then it’s not worrying about them too much. We’ve got to worry about what we’re trying to do and stamp our game and authority on them.
"It was back a few years ago when I was there. Rugby has evolved in those 10 years or so and they’ve evolved definitely but the core, what they’re about, is still there.
"That shows coming up through the academy and the high schools, they all play together, they're all mates and they seem to just come through the academy and the team and they’re the guys they played with at high school.
"You can see the way they gel on the field which is pretty impressive, the experience they have from playing with each other. That will always be Leinster and it’s why they’ve been so successful over the last couple of decades.
“They've got a great model going on, and that's why they have been successful.”
READ NEXT:
Dara O'Shea's season is over, Jayson Molumby set for month on sidelines
Brighton 'lucky' to have Evan Ferguson as big clubs circle Irish teenager
Keith Long on 'revisionism' at Dalymount Park over his Bohs reign
How Katie Taylor ticket prices compare to Michael Conlan's fight
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
