A tough ask against the team that’s taken our place at the top

IT’S fair to say that this is pretty much as excited as Tigers’ fans have been for many years about a knockout tie – partly because such matches have been sparse through the lean years and partly because this is in the premier European competition.

Whilst Steve Borthwick’s charges did incredibly well to reach last season’s European Challenge Cup final, the difference between involvement and success in the secondary European competition as opposed to the top level is utterly stark.

Once upon a time, Leicester’s involvement in the latter stages of the competition was a given. But those days are long gone and after two years in the Challenge Cup, to be back at the top table is wonderful progress for the club. The fans will hopefully savour it.

Where once Leicester were pre-eminent in Europe, now stand

Leinster. Four times winners, all in the past 12 years, plus another final indicates their pedigree.

They have massive advantages over the Tigers, firstly in terms of spending power (no figures are available but a brief perusal of the squad would indicate “most favoured status” from their owners, the IRFU).

It would not be a stretch to suggest that Mattioli Woods Welford Road is being visited by effectively the Irish national side, plus a few guests.

In addision, the visitors compete in a competition where playing the first team is virtually a rarity. They return from a two-week stint in South Africa where the team that will play Leicester was wrapped in cotton wool back in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Leicester have played three games in a fortnight.

For all those reasons, they arrive as favourites and Leicester have a mountain to climb to compete. Nevertheless, the hosts will be battle-hardened and there is no question that Borthwick has picked what he considers to be his firstchoice available squad.

Injury has robbed him of Dan Kelly and Marco van Staden, but George Martin’s return is a boost.

Naturally, there are debates to be had as to whether he’s right, part of what Borthwick has done so well is to develop his squad to the extent that there can be a debate on first choices.

However, as he has always stated, whatever happens, his first objective is producing a Leicester side of which the fans can be proud. This has been achieved and we’ll now see whether they can take another step to glory.