Tigers’ Corry targets double delight

MARTIN CORRY would love one last hurrah to help Leicester clinch a momentous rugby double in the space of just nine days.

Leicester are in the Guinness Premiership final and will face Leinster in the Heineken Cup final in Edinburgh.

But the former England captain and World Cup-winner does not want any favours from Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill after confirming his retirement at the end of the season moments after Leicester had reached the Guinness Premiership final by beating Bath 24-10 yesterday.

Corry, whose chronic pelvic and back problems forced his decision to quit at 35, said: “If somebody is more injured than I am then I’d be in the mix.

“But there’s a time when you have to say not what’s best for me but what is best for the club.

“And what is best for the club is that they have the best 15 on the field.

“If I can get on, great, but the most important thing is that the team keep playing like they did in the first half against Bath which I thought was sensational.

“I don’t think Cockers (Cockerill) and sentimental go hand in hand and I don’t want that either. I don’t want a bit of charity at the end. I only want it if if I deserve it

“We are playing some tremendous rugby.

“I’ll be coming on with water bottles and doing whatever I can to make this side successful.”

It was typical of the selflessness Corry has demonstrated throughout a career in which he played 64 times for England and appeared seven times for the British and Irish Lions.

Leicester might well boast another Lion this week with forward Tom Croft favourite to get the call if, as expected, Munster flanker Alan Quinlan is banned when his citing to answer eye-gouging allegations is ruled upon by a disciplinary hearing in Dublin on Wednesday.

Croft had another impressive game against Bath when tries from Dan Hipkiss, Sam Vesty and Lewis Moody barely told the tale of Leicester’s dominance.

Bath’s head coach Steve Meehan, meanwhile, struggled to explain his team’s lacklustre performance.

Michael Claassens and Stuart Hooper scored second-half tries but Meehan said: “It was a bizarre first half. We weren’t there.

“You expect the guys to be excited about it but we didn’t get into our stride at all.