The 26-year-old Rugby World Cup winner emphasised how the Chiefs have grown in stature over the past few years and indeed are now runaway leaders of the Gallagher Premiership.

“I have been watching their games, not just recently, but for a few years now,” said Kolbe. “They are a team who have been phenomenal in the past two years with the way they have been playing. They are an amazing group.”

The Springbok flyer has particularly admiration for Exeter wing Jack Nowell, whom he befriended after playing against him in the Under-20 World Cup in 2013.

“Jack is a special player,” Kolbe said. “The turn of speed he has, the power and the sidestepping as well. He is really a great player, a player who has a lot to provide to a team.

“We probably play the same style of rugby and I am looking forward to the weekend and catching up with him again. We speak every now and then on social media. He has a family, I also have a family - that’s how we got started. We just try and keep up that relationship.”

As well as Exeter showing fine form since lockdown, with seven wins in eight games in all competitions, Kolbe admitted that Toulouse are “a little bit” aware that they haven’t reached a European final since 2010, when they lifted the last of those four titles.

“It is quite a long time since the club have won the European championship.” said Kolbe, man of the match in Toulouse’s 36-8 quarter-final victory over Ulster Rugby last weekend after his two tries.

“But the way the coaches have handled everything has been good. They’ve not focused too much on what has happened in the past.

“As players, we play to enjoy rugby first of all. Whether we can win a cup is a bonus. For a club like Toulouse, the players in the squad just have to make sure they keep respecting the jersey. Hopefully, we can get to the final of the European championship.”

In-form Toulouse wing Cheslin Kolbe has dismissed the idea that the four-time European champions might be classed as favourites for Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Exeter Chiefs, with the English club in the last four for the first time.