Murphy: Tigers facing ‘Everest’ in treble hunt

GEORDAN MURPHY has underlined Leicester’s degree of difficulty in chasing an unprecedented trophy treble, declaring: “It is like climbing Everest.”

For a second successive season, Tigers have arrived at the business end of a marathon campaign still in contention to win three competitions.

But they also know how quickly those dreams can be shattered.

Leicester reached the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, Anglo-Welsh semi-finals and Guinness Premiership final last term, yet ended up with nothing. A place in next month’s EDF Energy Cup final against the Ospreys already booked, Leicester are also firmly on course for a home Premiership play-off tie, but their entire focus this weekend is the Welford Road visit of French Championship leaders Stade Français.

Tomorrow’s quarter-final (Welford Road, Sky Sports, 3.30pm) showdown is the eighth Heineken Cup meeting between two teams whose tournament rivalry began in 1999.

Stade lead the series 4-3, but arrive in England’s east midlands without a handful of key players, including injured forwards Sylvain Marconnet, Dimitri Szarzewski and David Auradou, plus suspended Italian Test flanker Mauro Bergamasco. It remains a tough ask for Leicester to progress though, which would not only keep alive the treble ambition, but take them closer towards landing their first silverware since 2002.

As for the treble, Tigers full-back and Ireland international Murphy said: “It is possible, but the players are not talking about it. We are not looking that far ahead.

“It is like climbing Everest — it can be done, but it’s very tough.

“Sale threw everything at us last week in the EDF semi-final, and it was good preparation for us, but we didn’t play to our full potential and we will have to step up another level on Sunday.

“Stade are a tremendous team, and won’t come with any fear because they have done well against us in the past. We know we will lose if we don’t play at our best.

“Winning the competition in 2001 (Leicester beat Stade in the final) is one of my favourite rugby memories. It was a great day I will never forget, and I would love to experience it again.”

LEICESTER: G Murphy; S Rabeni, D Hipkiss, D Gibson, A Tuilagi; A Goode, H Ellis; M Ayerza, G Chuter, J White, L Deacon, B Kay, L Moody, S Jennings, M Corry.

Replacements: G Hickie, M Castrogiovanni, L Cullen, B Deacon, F Murphy, I Humphreys, T Varndell.

STADE FRANÇAIS: J M Hernandez; J Arias, S Glas, B Liebenberg, C Dominici; D Skrela, A Pichot; R Roncero, B Kayser, P de Villiers, B du Plooy, M James, P Rabadan, R Martin, S Parisse.

Replacements: M Blin, J Gomez, A Marchois, A Burban, J Fillol, L Beauxis, M Bergamasco.