Scrum will be vital in Leicester Tigers v Ospreys clash - Cole
Prop Dan Cole says Tigers' recent form in the scrum is a result of plenty of hard graft and player continuity.
Tigers head to the Ospreys on Sunday for a crucial Heineken Cup round five contest in the battle for a spot in the quarter-finals.
The Welsh region are proud of their physical approach to the game and so their arm-wrestle with Tigers' all-conquering front-eight is likely to be the key to victory at the Liberty Stadium.
Leicester have scored six penalty tries in their last five games and Cole is hoping that incredible record is extended in Swansea by a pack that is on top of its game.
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"We do lots of work in the week on the scrum machine and in the video room," said the 25-year-old.
"Not so much live stuff to protect bodies but we were hitting the scrum machine this week many times.
"We spend several hours a week focusing solely on the scrum and that is probably more than others do. We have had very few players leave the set-up recently and, with the continuity we have had in the scrum personnel-wise, things become second nature whether that be front-row binds, or second-row binds, or whatever.
"That makes it easier to work with each other and you can get more out of working with each other because we know each other's games so well.
"That benefits the whole team."
Cole is expected to form part of a front-row that will be up against an Ospreys front-three featuring Welsh international Adam Jones.
Cole and Jones are favourites to be battling for the starting shirt when the British & Irish Lions travel to Australia in the summer.
Their personal battle is just one of numerous head-to-heads all over the pitch as these two sides play out the latest chapter in their fierce European rivalry.
"They look to dominate teams with their forwards' play and have done well in their league," said Cole.
"Games between our two teams are traditionally tight and I expect this to be the same.
"When you get big sides in the Heineken Cup, there are usually only a few points in it because sides are a bit edgy and evenly-matched and nobody wants to make a mistake.
"If we win on Sunday, we have everything to play for. If we lose, we are potentially out of the competition.
"We want a home quarter- final and so we have to win both games."
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