Josh Strauss admits he is filled with nervous excitement as he prepares to make his Premiership bow for Sale Sharks in Saturday's league opener away at Wasps.
The Scotland international has swapped life in the PRO14 with Glasgow Warriors for a new challenge south of the border with Steve Diamond's ambitious new-look squad.
Strauss has arrived in Manchester armed with a formidable reputation and a wealth of experience that has seen him first shine for the Lions and Golden Lions in his native South Africa before moving to Scotland where he played a key role in helping Glasgow to lift the PRO12 title in 2015, performances that led to him becoming one of the key components of the Scotland Test side.
But despite that impeccable CV, as he embarks on a new stage of his star-studded career Josh has revealed the nerves will properly kick in ahead of kick-off at the Ricoh Arena this weekend.
"The longer you play rugby, the less nervous you get but anytime you do something new you get those butterflies again," he admitted.
"With it being my first taste of the Premiership, I'm sure there will be some nerves but I'm really looking forward to it and to challenging myself.
"Growing up in South Africa, you always heard about the Premiership – probably more so than other competition – and it has always been in the back of my mind to test myself here and do something different and I can't wait to get going – especially against one of best sides in the league.
"I think a new start is good mentally too. It's a bit of a rejuvenation coming to play somewhere new in a new league. It gives you a fresh feeling.
"So it's unchartered territory coming here, even though I've obviously played a few of the English teams in the Champions Cup when I was with Glasgow.
"It will be a good challenge and it is one I am really looking forward to."
Thanks to his heroics on Scotland's highly successful tour of the Southern Hemisphere, where Gregor Townsend's men recorded impressive wins over Italy and Australia, Strauss reported for pre-season duty at Carrington a little later than the majority of his new team-mates.
But he says everything he has seen since he got down to work at Sale has only confirmed that he has joined a club which is heading in the right direction.
"I liked it from the word go. I liked the vision of the club that I was given to me when I first sat down with Dimes," he added.
"Now that I'm here I'm really excited the direction that we are going in.
"There are so many great guys here already and I think we have put together a great squad.
"So I'm really excited about the group of players we have and I think there is a really good balance between the more experienced players and the younger guys.
"In the senior group we've got guys who have played in so many different competitions and they have been successful there.
"It's a good mix of young and old.
"Pre-season doesn't get any easier, no matter how long you have been playing rugby but the players and the staff have been great in the way they have welcomed me in.
"I have found it very easy, we're living in a lovely area and my family are very happy which is very important and we have had two successful pre-season games against Castres and Edinburgh which is always good to help build momentum and confidence.
"Now, obviously, we have a very big game coming up at the weekend and I just can't wait to get started."
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