Leicester were beaten 18-17 by Montpellier Hérault Rugby in last season’s EPCR Challenge Cup final, having scored over 30 points in all three of their knockout games prior to that

But the England prop feels the Gallagher Premiership title contenders now have the rearguard to match their formidable attack and add to their two previous European crowns.

Tigers got off to a great start in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup as they edged out Union Bordeaux-Bègles 16-13 at Stade Chaban-Delmas last weekend.

“To be honest, I don’t think too much has changed from last year,” Genge said. “I think we are just significantly better at what we were trying to do last year, this season, if that makes sense.

“Obviously, a lot of the teams were brilliant at attacking last year and we’ve obviously leaked a fair few points, [but] I think our defence has been great this year.

"I think we are a little bit more complete than we were last year. There is still a lot of growth in us. Hopefully, we’ll see that come through for us in the European Cup.”

Genge pointed out that Leicester’s coaching staff comprises an array of former players boasting an abundance of European know-how, with assistant coaches Richard Wigglesworth, Brett Deacon and Matt Smith totalling a 175 games in continental rugby.

“[There is] so much European experience in our squad,” he stressed. “’Wiggy’ obviously is coaching now, Matt Smith, Brett Deacon - all those boys. They’ve played in Europe so many times, they know what’s coming from a coaching perspective.”

Genge went on to reveal that an altercation with former Leicester captain Tom Youngs was an eye-opener as to how seriously the club take the European Cup, having won the competition in 2001 and 2002.

“I think I was made very aware of what the competition meant on the first day, when Tommy Youngs put one on my chin, to be honest,” he recalled. “I knew what the club was about from there on in.

“So, I think Tigers is a club that, if you come to it with a bit of an ego and [if you] think you know the lot, it chews you up and spits you back out.

“And I learnt those lessons very quickly. So, I’ve had five years now, five and a half years of learning about the history. I could probably rattle off everyone’s [number of] appearances, to be honest, from the board that we had in the medical room.”

Leicester Tigers captain Ellis Genge believes his side’s improved defence can help them mount a serious challenge for the Heineken Champions Cup trophy this season.