The foundations for Glasgow Warriors' huge Heineken Cup win over London Wasps were actually built in Toulouse a month ago according to skipper Ali Kellock.
Glasgow were beaten 36-10 by the reigning European Champions on December 21 but Kellock believes the match was a turning point in the Warriors' season.
Extreme weather conditions meant Glasgow were without essential elements of playing and training kit when they arrived in France for the Round 4 encounter, with the match having to be pushed back three days from Saturday to Tuesday.
And although the result didn't go their way at the Stade Ernest Wallon, Kellock insists the lengthy stay in the south of France brought an already tight squad even closer together.
"We're as tight as we've ever been as a squad and you win games from that," said Kellock, who made his 42nd European appearance in Sunday's 20-10 victory over Wasps.
"We're working so hard. We're realistic and we know where we are. We really came together in that Toulouse game where we went over there in difficult circumstances.
"Although they beat us convincingly in the end, at 60 minutes we were right in the game. We left everything out on that park.
"We've set that standard that, whenever we play, it's about 100 per cent commitment. If it's good enough, then we'll win. If it's not, then we have to say 'well done' to the other team."
Kellock takes his Glasgow side to South Wales this weekend to face the Newport Gwent Dragons in a Round 6 encounter that still carries great importance to the Warriors despite quarter-final qualification not being an option for either team.
Glasgow cannot catch Pool winners Toulouse or second-placed Wasps regardless of Saturday's result, but neither can they be overtaken by the Dragons who currently sit seven points below the Warriors.
Captain Kellock and his head coach Sean Lineen certainly don't view the trip to Rodney Parade as a dead rubber. For both men it's an opportunity to push on and build on the ever-increasing confidence within the camp.
"It has to be a marker," continued Kellock.
"Us and the Dragons know each other well and it's another funny dynamic with neither team pushing for anything. That'll make it really important that the guys step up during the week, that the leaders lead and the right attitude is taken into that game.
"We need to go down there and play well so that we can become more consistent. We need to kick start our season at some point and, over the last few weeks, I think we've been beginning to do that."
"It's been a challenging month with the away game in Toulouse and the league game at Munster last week but the players have been outstanding," added Lineen.
"We felt that the way we'd been training had been really good. Over the last month or so, the players have been shaping what's been going on, on and off the field. We could either feel sorry for ourselves or make something happen. The players chose the later. The attitude was outstanding and you saw it out there against Wasps.
"It definitely shows us what we're capable of. There's a huge amount of pride in what we've done over the last few years, it's just that consistency we need.
"We're now looking forward to the Dragons - we've got to make sure keep that momentum going."