 | POWERGEN CUP FINAL Twickenham
Sunday, 9 April
Kick-off: 1500 BST |
Wasps' New Zealand-born full-back Mark van Gisbergen is fully aware of the significance of Sunday's Anglo-Welsh clash against the Scarlets.
The two sides meet at Twickenham this weekend in the first Powergen Cup final in its new cross-border format.
"You speak to people around the place and they always talk about the Welsh-English rivalry," van Gisbergen told BBC Sport.
"It will be a great atmosphere and a great occasion."
This year's Powergen Cup has broken new ground as the formerly English competition has become a tournament featuring Welsh clubs as well.
Anglo-Welsh club encounters were one of the highlights of the domestic game before professionalism and the revamped Powergen Cup is an attempt to rekindle those frequently seismic collisions.
This latest instalment sees English champions Wasps take on Welsh side Llanelli Scarlets for Anglo-Welsh bragging rights.
Wasps may have been England's standout side in recent years but Van Gisbergen, the epitome of the modern-day globe-trotting professional, has plenty of respect for Sunday's opponents.
"Llanelli are a quality side with some dangerous players - when we went down to their place earlier in the year they played really well and came out with a win.
"They are a top side, but we're hungry for the trophy, so it's going to be a tough match.
"We play rugby for these games - playing in front of a crowd like the one we will have at Twickenham gives you a bit of a buzz.
"There is a bit of an extra edge - I don't know where it comes from but the adrenaline comes in so it should be good."
For Van Gisbergen, who is in his fourth season with Wasps, Sunday's big day out is just the latest step in an unlikely journey.
When he first ventured over to England to try his luck he had no idea that he would end up playing on so big a stage, and even earn international recognition.
 Games between Scarlets and Wasps are normally fierce encounters |
"I came over with an open mind. I wanted to give it a good crack given the opportunity and I'm just really lucky the way things went, coming to a side like Wasps.
"Everyone has the attitude that we want to win things and do well, but I didn't expect this at all.
"It's been fantastic - a bit of a dream ride."
That dream ride includes an England cap as a replacement against Australia, although a couple of dodgy games before the November internationals set back his chances of starting as full-back for the national side.
"It was a bit weird - it was just those couple of games," he said.
"The squad got named and people were saying I could be starting at full-back. Then we played a couple of games and things didn't really go my way.
"I don't put in down to the hype or anything, it just happened.
|  We also have some good ideas in attack and hopefully we can implement them |
"I was involved in the squad at the start of the Six Nations but then I had an injury, missed an A game and it just didn't happen for me from there.
"I did get a game in for England A, which was nice to play in and be involved in. Now I'm just trying to play well and see what happens from there.
"Every player strives for the highest level and making the summer tour would be awesome."
But at the moment Van Gisbergen is focused on just one thing - beating the Scarlets on Sunday.
"When we play well we play as a side - you can't pinpoint players," he said. "Everyone buys into the system and the way we play.
"Our high-risk defence is new and it is high-risk. Things can go wrong but if it goes well than we get on top of sides.
"We also have some good ideas in attack and hopefully we can implement them."
MMIX
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