Tigers still chasing a European spot

DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Richards insisted his players are out to “set the record straight” after Leicester earned the chance to end a disappointing season at Welford Road with Heineken Cup qualification.

The Tigers secured a 51-39 aggregate victory over Harlequins in the inaugural Zurich Wild-Card play-offs with a 28-13 triumph yesterday which sets up a final against Saracens in Northampton on May 31.

To the victors at Franklin's Gardens, the spoils of Heineken Cup rugby next season.

And Richards insisted his players, who have become used to celebrating championships and trophies at this time of the season, are desperate to atone for their sixth-place finish in the Premiership.

"We don't like losing at the best of times and to have lost in the manner we have done over the last few months is a bit galling," he said.

"I think everyone wants to set the record straight. It will be an interesting game against Saracens, it will be a hard battle."

Leicester won the Heineken Cup for each of the last two years but were beaten by old rivals Munster this season.

It might seem odd that such an illustrious European side should have to qualify in this manner, but Richards does believe Leicester's true place is in the Heineken Cup.

"European rugby is synonymous with Leicester purely because we have won it twice and I think everybody at the club will be hugely disappointed should we not be there," he said.

"But it's not the pressure, it's the pride."

Richards feared for his side's chances at half-time when they faced playing into a "howling gale" to secure their passage.

With Leicester leading 13-10 at the interval, the aggregate scores were level.

Ugo Monye had given Harlequins the lead but Leicester, despite Tim Stimpson's wayward boot, hit back through Glenn Gelderbloom.

"I wasn't so much concerned when we fell behind, it was that when we went into half-time 13-10 up knowing we were going to have to play the second half going into a howling gale," he said.

"Our game playing into a howling gale hasn't been too good this year but I thought we were spot on today. 28-13 is a reasonable result."

It was sealed with second-half tries from Neil Back, his 107th for Leicester, and Will Skinner, his first.

But Richards felt that Geordan Murphy's try in the first leg, which kickstarted a sensational comeback to give Leicester hope, was critical to the aggregate victory.

Richards' opposite number Mark Evans agreed the tie was lost on Wednesday despite Harlequins winning the game 26-23.

"Looking at the tie as a piece, we had a huge opportunity when we had them 17 points down and rocking and we didn't push them over," he said. "That's probably where we lost the tie."

In terms of where the match was lost today, Evans pointed to their injury toll and subsequent inability to compete up front.

"We'd fancy our chances with a three-point deficit at home and I am sure they did. I thought we battled hard but Andre Vos' injury after 20 minutes didn't help us.

"And the one that really killed us was Karl Rudski in the second half.

"You've got all your forward subs on apart from your hooker and your substitute lock goes and turns his ankle. That wrecked our scrummage and we didn't have a base."

Saracens also booked their place in the Zurich Premiership wildcard final, despite being comprehensively beaten in the second leg of their play-off clash with Leeds at Headingly yesterday.

The London club, who romped to a 57-21 victory in the first leg at Vicarage Road on Wednesday night, progress by virtue of their superior aggregate score - keeping their Heineken Cup hopes alive.

It was not all good news for Saracens though inspirational England flanker Richard Hill had to be helped off the field in the 67th minute with what appeared to be a leg injury.

Hill's early exit will not be welcomed by England coach Clive Woodward who is soon to announce his squad for the World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia next month.