Jonathan Davies insists club side Clermont Auvergne’s formidable European home record continues to not only breed confidence in the squad but also in his individual play.
The 26-year-old, who was part of the British & Irish Lions squad that secured a 2-1 series win Down Under in 2013, will come up against Northampton Saints in their European quarter-final this weekend.
Although not having experienced this level of knock-out rugby on the European stage before, Davies is far more excited than nervous – 22 games unbeaten in Europe on home soil will help with that.
And he believes if his side can transfer their vigorous preparation into success on the pitch against the English champions then a European semi-final will be the outcome.
“It's my first time being part of a squad contesting in a Champions Cup knock-out game so it's been an interesting week for me personally, but you can tell from looking around on the training pitch that I'm not the only one excited about this,” he told Sky Sports.
“The game itself should be quite some spectacle. Not many teams in Europe have beaten us at home, and there’s a lot to be said about the familiarity of winning and the importance of that being part of a team's culture.
“It breeds confidence within the group and it ends up being an advantage over and above the usual home advantage.
“Obviously reputation will only get us so far, but if teams arrive at the gates of the stadium knowing most other clubs have left without a win, it gives us an edge.
“With that said you can't take anything for granted. A win starts with the preparation at the beginning of the week and this week there has been a huge focus.”
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