When Joaquin Moro first heard the East Midlands derby compared to Argentina's legendary Superclásico, he didn't need any further explanation. The Leicester Tigers flanker, a lifelong River Plate fan, instantly understood the weight of Saturday's showdown against Northampton Saints.

"On Monday, Jack van Poortvliet came to me and said, 'This is a big game for us. We take it like Boca v River in Argentina,'" Moro told BBC Radio Leicester. The comparison resonated deeply with the Argentine, who has experienced the Superclásico firsthand at River's 85,000-capacity Más Monumental stadium. Just mentioning that electric atmosphere brings a smile to his face and a shake of his head as he recalls it being "so good."

Growing up in Argentina, the rivalry between River Plate and Boca Juniors is woven into the fabric of life—his entire family bleeds River Plate red. Now, that same intensity is being channeled into an East Midlands derby that has already sold out Welford Road two weeks in advance, with nearly 26,000 fans expected to pack the stands.

While this won't be Moro's first taste of the rivalry—he came off the bench in October's league defeat at Franklin's Gardens and scored twice in the Premiership Cup group stage win against Saints a month later—Saturday marks his first home derby start. The magnitude of the occasion was made clear by homegrown scrum-half van Poortvliet, who has lived these battles his entire career.

"All the boys give us the feeling of how to play these types of games," Moro said. "The coaches are ex-players from Leicester, so they have the same experience. I'm very excited to play at Welford Road. It sold out two weeks ago, so it is going to be a lovely place to play."

Adding to the intensity, this year's derby will trial an 'away end'—a concept borrowed from football—in a fixture that has been heating up since the clubs first clashed. For Moro, it's the perfect fusion of his Argentine roots and his new rugby home, where the passion of the Superclásico meets the pride of the East Midlands.