Shane Lewis-Hughes is loving life in the Cardiff Rugby boiler house but is expects the Blue and Blacks to come under plenty of heat against the Scarlets on Saturday (17:15).
The 26-year-old has been packing down in the second-row this season, and will pull on the number 4 jersey again this weekend, in a shrewd move that is proving a success.
And after struggling with injuries in recent seasons, Lewis-Hughes is more than happy in his unfamiliar new position.
“I think it's quite clear by the way I play, I’m a six playing in the row. But these days if you look at teams, there’s no difference between a six and four, really, bar from a being in the scrum.
“It takes it out of your legs a little bit more because the props rely on you for weight in the scrum, but apart from that I have the same output when I was playing six really.
“I've really been enjoying it. The main thing for me that I've been enjoying is just being back out on the pitch again. I've been desperate to play.
“I prepare for both. So I prepare to play at six, I prepare to play in the row. So anything that comes up doesn't surprise me.
“I make sure that I'm prepped for both. That weight to power ratio is important in the row and I feel like I have that, but half of it is just having that dog in you. I guess it’s all well and good being big, but if you haven't got that dog in you, it doesn't matter how big you are. It’s just having that determination and being relentless.”
Looking ahead to a second consecutive Welsh derby on the road, Lewis-Hughes anticipates another hard fought encounter.
The Scarlets fell to two heavy defeats in their first two fixtures of the season, both in South Africa, and the flanker-cum-second-row, is braced for a backlash.
Nonetheless, he is relishing the challenge ahead.
He added: “I think you'll see a Scarlets side that are desperate, being back at home.
“They had two tough runs. We all know how tough it is going out to South Africa, that's their bread and butter out there. Every time you go out there, it's a challenge for any team.
“So they've had a tough run and they'll be raring to go this weekend to put a good stamp on their season. It should be a good spectacle there, so they'll be pumped for it.
But we know we know what's coming and we're ready to meet the challenge.”