The province won the Champions Cup and PRO14 last season, the first time that not only Leinster won the double, but the first time any team has done it.

Some players could be satisfied with that, but not at Leinster.

You look at the likes of Johnny, someone like that, they could have sat back and said, ‘we’ve had a great season’ and not kicked on,” said Tracy.

“Instead, they came back and — it was said in one of the meetings — was it Tom Brady who said, ‘my favourite Super Bowl ring is the next one?’

“It is brilliant for the refocusing of the mind and moving on to the next one.

“It is driving that legacy on to the fifth star and, obviously, retaining the PRO14 as well.

“We are all lucky to be in the environment that we are in, surrounded by such world-class players.

“It is the ambition. It is not just lip service, because you see they live it every day.

They are going out there to get better and win something else.

Tracy scored a try in Leinster’s opening-day win against Cardiff last weekend, the perfect start to the season for a hooker trying to catch Joe Schmidt’s eye this season.

The 27-year-old won two caps against Fiji and Argentina last autumn, but was left out of Ireland’s squad for the Six Nations and the summer tour to Australia.

Niall Scannell, Seán Cronin and Rob Herring shared the No 2 shirt down under, with skipper Rory Best injured, and Tracy knows he faces a challenge to get back into the green shirt.

“I want to play for Leinster, first of all, then after that, hopefully, get myself back in contention for the Irish squad,” said Tracy.

It’s bitterly disappointing watching the lads do so well, while not being involved, but it also gives you a hunger to get back and a goal to strive towards. It’s worse then when you’re out of the loop, because you can’t do anything to change it.

“I’m sitting on the beach or in a bar in another country watching them play so well, but at least you know if you’re over there you might have a chance ‘next week’ to play even better.

“It’s difficult to take, but it gives you that hunger, the fire in the belly grows and gets stronger; what drives most people is that competition.

“I’ve something to work towards, especially with the even bigger carrot of the World Cup around the corner.”

Tracy’s try in Cardiff last week — Leinster’s first of the season — came with a razor sharp finish, and he hopes to continue to catch the eye.

“The other lads have set a really high bar, so you want to be standing out in every game,” he said. “You have to hit your set-piece targets, but you’d also need to be making a difference in games, and having big moments.

“I want to get off to a fast start, one of the positives of not being on tour is you get to be in the shop window first, so I have to use that to my advantage, play well and see where it takes me.”