Rhys Gill says the Cardiff Blues squad are in a good place as they travel to Galway to continue their Guinness PRO14 campaign.
John Mulvihill's side return to Championship action on Saturday, as they take on Conference B rivals Connacht at The Sportsground.
The Arms Park outfit currently sit in fifth place in the Conference, but with only 11 points separating sixth place and top spot, it’s all to play for as we head into the business end of the campaign.
They head into Saturday’s clash on the back of four victories from five Guinness PRO14 matches and Welsh international prop, Gill, insists there is confidence in the camp as they head into a crucial block of fixtures.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position so far and we’re happy with where we are at the moment," said Gill.
“We’ve had a three week block where we’ve been able to work and concentrate on areas we can improve and that’s been good for us.
“We’ve also had a bit of a break and an opportunity to get away from rugby but now we’ve got a big push until the end of the season.
“We’ll be playing against a few teams from our Conference back-to-back and it all starts this week with Connacht.
"We’ll be playing against them both home and away over the next few weeks, so there’s a potential 10-point swing there for us, so there’s a big few weeks coming up.
“For me, as a tight forward, the conditions will be great. It will be muddy with a bit of rough and tumble and we can get stuck in.
“Hopefully we can adapt to the conditions and play to them as well as we can.
“We’ve been practicing all week, expecting what’s going to happen, and what’s been going on outside in Cardiff has prepared us really well.
“We’re in a good place and are ready to go for it.
“Our away record last season was dreadful. Outside of Wales, we only won one game which was Edinburgh away, and if you have any aspirations then you need to rock up when you’re away.
“That’s something we looked at the start of the season, and the win in Benetton was big for us. That’s put us in good stead and hopefully we can kick on and go out to Connacht to get that win as well.
"We know, as a squad, that if we don’t do anything over the next four weeks, then our season is done. That’s not where we want to be.
“We’ve got goals of finishing in the top three and being involved in the play-offs and in the big games. That’s why you play rugby, is to be involved in those big games.”
The hosts have welcomed Ireland duo Dave Heffernan and Ultan Dillane into the line-up, after they were released from Andy Farrell’s squad for the encounter.
Gill acknowledges the threat they posed, but believes his side have also been boosted by the presence of Wales lock, Seb Davies.
The prop added: “They’ve been training in an international environment for the last few weeks and their intensity will be higher.
“They’ll come back and give those boys a boost before the game this week.
“But we’ve also been lucky enough to get Seb back from Wales, and that’s a bonus for us as well.”