Crane ready for Toulon rematch

Editor

While many at Leicester are still revelling in their famous win over Toulon back-row Jordan Crane is focused on this weekend’s rematch at Stade Felix Mayol.

Crane has urged his team-mates to not let their European heroics go to waste when they visit the French giants on Saturday.

Despite hosting Toulon off the back of a five-game unbeaten run, few expected the Tigers to overturn the reigning European champions.

However the Aviva Premiership Rugby giants clearly weren’t listening, a Brad Thorn try and 20 points from the boot of Owen Williams leading the Tigers to a 25-21 victory.

That result has reignited hope that the Tigers can claw their way into the knockout stages after bouncing back from defeat at Scarlets.

And Crane admits they will need to prove lightning can strike twice when they travel to France on Saturday in order to keep those hopes high.

“Everyone is really pleased with the Toulon game and it was great, especially for an English team to beat them in Europe,” he said.

“But we know that if we don’t follow that up with another great performance and another victory then all that will have gone to waste.

“We need to pick up where we left off and really get at them from the start, put them on the back foot in the first 20 minutes.

“We know they will want to right the wrongs from that first game but we can’t worry about them. That first game proved that we are not that far away from them so we have nothing to fear.”

Although no one at Welford Road is looking beyond this weekend, the players and staff know the Christmas schedule has not been kind to Leicester.

Hot on the heels of the return game with Toulon, the Tigers are straight back to Premiership Rugby action with trips to Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Harlequins, as well as hosting Bath before European competition returns again.

And Crane is hopeful that another strong showing against Toulon can help Leicester get back to domestic duties with their heads held high.

“If you look at our fixtures we have some massive games coming up over the festive period,” he added.

“We obviously have the two Toulon games and then we have a trip to Northampton off the back of that.

“They are tough teams and then we have a tough trip up to Sale so it doesn’t get any easier.

“But if we can keep performing, we will put ourselves in a good position and give ourselves the best chance of winning some silverware.”