FORD WANTS A FIESTA IN LEICESTER
‘I came back convinced the good times and celebrations can return to this club’
GEORGE FORD spearheads Leicester’s assault on Europe claiming England’s biggest club are back in the glory hunt.
The two-time champions have gone eight years since the last of their five European Cup finals – and five since winning the Premiership.
They were humiliated in last season’s Champions Cup, thrashed by Glasgow, Munster and Racing 92, who they play on Saturday.
But Ford insists he would not have rejoined from Bath had he not felt good times would follow him back to Welford Road.
“I’ve come here with the mindset that we want to win trophies,” said Ford, who forms an all-England halfback pairing with Ben Youngs. “That’s what’s expected at Leicester. It’s been too long without a major trophy here. Everybody’s desperate to put that right.
"You want to make the most of your career. For me that’s about winning trophies and making memories.”
Leicester head to Paris on the back of four straight wins – but the bookies are unconvinced, pricing them no better than 33/1 to conquer Europe for the first time since 2002. Saracens, bidding for a hat-trick of titles, are worthy favourites.
Tigers certainly face a stern test first-up against Dan Carter’s Paris-based Racing.
But that does not faze Ford, who said: “We are going to Paris to get a result. We have a good enough team to do it.”
Leicester’s renewed belief can be traced back to the return of Aussie boss Matt O’Connor, who revealed: “What we have done is reinforce the mentality of what it takes to win at this level
“We have a very proud tradition of being at the top table in Europe and winning trophies.
“We know that the stuff we delivered in Europe wasn’t anywhere near good enough last year and we need to fix it.”
Tigers are without Dominic Ryan after the flanker was stood down for 12 weeks following repeated concussions.
WASPS boss Dai Young has told his players he will not accept any excuses if they lose their opener in Belfast on Friday.
Ulster have had a full week to prepare while Wasps played Saracens on Sunday.
Young said: “It is unfair but I won’t accept that we won’t play well because it’s a five-day turnaround. I’ve made that pretty clear to the players.”