The experienced official was the man in the middle for last season’s Challenge Cup final between Bristol Bears and RC Toulon and expressed his delight at getting the opportunity once again this year.

“It’s amazing really, it’s why we all referee, really: it’s to do these games,” he stated. “When I started out refereeing six years ago, it was always to get to this stage and referee the biggest games.

“I’m very, very lucky this year. It’s obviously my second European Rugby Challenge [Cup] final, after doing Toulon versus Bristol last year, and then I was involved in the [Guinness] PRO14 final and the Autumn Nations Cup final.

“So, it’s been a busy year – it’s been a great year – but as I said, these are the games you want to be involved in.”

Brace, who regularly referees in the Guinness PRO14, is often selected for European fixtures involving English and French clubs, and that experience will be vital when Leicester take on Montpellier at Twickenham Stadium.

“It is different because, obviously, you wouldn’t traditionally be used to refereeing the English and the French clubs in your domestic competition,” he explained.

“Because I referee a lot of the PRO14, however, I am used to refereeing a lot of the English-French games from a neutrality perspective in Europe.

“You have a head start from that point of view. It does bring different challenges, obviously, because of the language barrier and also because of the different styles the teams play.

“On that front, it is very different, but it’s something you’re also used to from refereeing in Europe.”

Brace will be in familiar company in the final, as he is joined by Frank Murphy, Chris Busby and Brian MacNeice as his fellow officials.

The same team presided over the Challenge Cup semi-final between Montpellier and Bath Rugby earlier this month, and Brace believes that familiarity will be of huge benefit to them in the showpiece game.

“It’s good that we have that consistency going into the final game, as well,” he added. “We worked well together in the semi-finals.

“It’s important that we bring the same level of performance going into this game, because obviously there’s no margin for error in a final.

“It is also good that we know each other inside out; we’re used to working with each other weekly in the domestic competitions and PRO14.”

Andrew Brace, who will take charge of the European Rugby Challenge Cup final between Leicester Tigers and Montpellier on Friday evening, says that it’s the big games that every referee wants to be involved in.