Skip to Content
Leicester look to salvage season
Leicester need victory against Harlequins to be assured of top-flight European rugby next season.
The Tigers bid for a successful Premiership title defence could to reach its unsuccessful conclusion on Saturday.
They could even miss out on Heineken Cup qualification next season if their former boss Dean Richards masterminds a Welford Road victory for his current club.
To have any chance of reaching the title play-offs, Leicester need a bonus point win against Quins and hope third-placed Sale finish pointless at home to Irish.
And speculation continues to rage about head coach Marcelo Loffreda's future, with South African Dick Muir linked to a possible post earlier this week.
Loffreda said: "It has been a transition year and a long season. We have had lots of injuries and there has also been a World Cup. It wasn't a great season for the club the last time there was a World Cup either."
He added: "That sort of pressure was one of the things that I expected when I came here. I will tackle it with a lot of hard work, commitment and mental toughness."
Gloucester and Bath, whose play-off spots are already secure, clash at a sold-out Kingsholm with first place and a guaranteed home semi-final on offer.
Wasps could edge into second place and split the west country domination by beating already-relegated Leeds Carnegie, with Sale likely to complete the play-off picture.
The other Premiership game sees Worcester hosting Newcastle knowing that victory could take them above the Falcons into 10th place.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.