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Tigers hope for final return

Author: Rose Young
Date: 09/05/2009

The Guinness Premiership play-offs get underway with rugby betting favourites Leicester Tigers hoping to reach a fifth final in a row.

The Welford Road club have enjoyed a superb regular season, especially considering that coach Heyneke Meyer left mid-season to return home to South Africa.

That left Richard Cockerill to take up the reins and he not only guided the Tigers to top spot in the Guinness Premiership, but his side also squeezed through to the Heineken Cup final, setting up the prospect of an amazing double.

The Tigers made history last weekend as they beat the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup semi-finals on place-kicks, but extra-time and the tension of the Millennium Stadium showdown may count against Cockerill's troops.

However, they will be desperate to make up for a record of three losses in their four finals appearances in the last four years and will host Bath knowing that they themselves are the only club to win a play-off match away from home.

Bath travel to Leicester chasing a first domestic title in over a decade and boosted by the fact that lock forward Justin Harrison has been cleared of an eye-gouging charge and is set to start.

Steve Meehan's side secured fourth place with a last-day win at home to Saracens, but they do have the knowledge that they have beaten the Tigers this season.

In November Bath a 25-21 win on home turf, while in early January the Tigers exacted revenge with a narrow 24-22 victory at Welford Road.

The closeness of those two encounters pints to a third tight tussle and home advantage may just be enough to carry the tired Leicester players through.

The other semi-final matches up Harlequins and London Irish, two sides who have made excellent progress in recent seasons.

Quins, under the leadership of coach Dean Richards, finished second in the table, having been relegated from the top-flight of English rugby only a handful of seasons ago.

Shock British Lions selection Ugo Monye has nine tries in the league this season, just two behind Bath's Joe Maddock and he will be round off an amazing season in style.

The Exiles finished third in the table, level on points with Quins, with Toby Booth's side having impressed many watchers with their open, expansive game.

The fact that they have never been in the play-offs before and that they have to make the trip, albeit a shirt one, to the Twickenham Stoop makes them second favourites to reach the final.

However, the two meetings of these sides during the regular season saw the away side emerge victorious on both occasions, with Irish edging home 28-27 at Quins in September.

Just as the other semi-final, this promises to be a close one to call, but history suggests that the home side will come out on top, just.

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