Connacht have never qualified for the knockout stages of Europe’s top club rugby competition but find themselves in sixth place in Pool B with eight teams due to qualify.

“It’s a huge game,” Friend told Extra.ie. “It’s the ultimate stage for teams in Europe and we’ve put ourselves in a good position.

“But it means nothing if we don’t perform well on Saturday and hopefully pick up that win. We’ll be doing everything in our power to make sure we do that.”

Friend believes his side are in the right frame of mind to stun the English side, after only losing 29-23 in the Round 2 game at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

“We’ve gained great confidence throughout the course of the year because we have adjusted with the way we’re playing,” the Australian said.

‘I think the Munster win or the Stade Français win, or the (losing) bonus point that we got at Welford Road just cements the confidence that what we’re trying to do is right. With every game I do believe we are gaining confidence with that.”

Friend acknowledged that the weekend’s match-up at The Sportsground would be a clash of styles.

‘We do have a very different style to Leicester Tigers,” he commented. “It’s pretty evident for anyone who chooses to sit down to watch the two game styles. Both are successful in their own way.

“Leicester’s is probably more successful than ours, as they’ve had another year and a bit doing it, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.

“That’s the beauty of the game of rugby. You can play it in many different ways and it’s normally down to the team who perfects their style better than the opposition that tends to win it. That was them at Welford Road a few weeks ago. Hopefully it’s us against them this weekend at The Sportsground.”

Connacht Rugby head coach Andy Friend has labelled Saturday’s home Heineken Champions Cup tie with Leicester Tigers as “huge” as the Irish province bid to avenge their narrow loss to the Gallagher Premiership leaders in December.