Addressing a press conference for the first time since his return to Bristol was confirmed, he also expanded on his decision to leave the East Midlands to be closer to his family.

“I don’t think anyone wants to leave the club that has given them everything they’ve got today from a rugby perspective, especially being club captain,” Genge said. “And we were unbeaten at the time I made the decision and doing well in Europe.

“We’d just signed some world-class players and everything was on the up. We’ve got a great plan in place [at Leicester] and being part of it really excited me. I just made the decision to leave because I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I signed another long-term contract at Leicester and then wanted to go back and see my family after that. 

“I’m seeing them now and again but, without going into too much detail, certain circumstances forced my hand. I needed to be closer to them and see them more often. You never know.

“If we’ve learned something from Covid, it’s that you don’t get to spend much time with the people you love, let alone in lockdown. I’ve been away from home since I was 16 and it’s time for me to go back and support my family, my sister, my Dad, my Mum in the best way I can. For me, that’s by being back in Bristol.”

Genge’s commitment to Tigers’ cause cannot be questioned. He is eager to finish with silverware and, until the end of this campaign, will relish captaining Leicester.

“I love captaining the club,” he said. “Imagine being at war and all your troops are ready to die. That’s what it’s like, that’s what our pack’s about.

“Being at the front of that, leading them in, I love it. I don’t always get it right, and the boys know that. Steve knows that. Everyone helps me so much. But the boys are ready to fire in whatever. It’s just so easy to lead boys who are that willing.”