Leicester chase unlikely title

A little over a week ago the bulk of the rugby world had written Leicester's season off, yet one week on and they are preparing for the unlikeliest of Guinness Premiership semi-finals.

A little over a week ago the majority of the rugby world had written Leicester's season off, yet one week on and they are preparing for the unlikeliest of Guinness Premiership semi-finals.

Heading into the final weekend of regular fixtures Leicester were in sixth and in danger of not even qualifying for the Heineken Cup next season – a desperate situation for a club steeped in rugby tradition.

Eighty minutes of rugby later and Leicester were guaranteed a seat at rugby's top table next season, not only that but they had somehow squeezed into the Guinness Premiership play-offs at the expense of Harlequins.

Trailing by four points with four minutes remaining Leicester completed a remarkable comeback to win the game 31-28, a result that was, with other results ending in their favour, enough to see Leicester snatch fourth spot from a devastated Quins outfit.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Planet Rugby, Leicester and England fly-half Andy Goode explained how the win has eased pressure as well as presenting his side with a great opportunity to end the season on a high.

Goode, the nine-times capped England fly-half, explained the main focus going into Saturday's game against Harlequins was to secure a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

“This time last week nobody gave us a chance to make it and the players were just focused on beating Harlequins to make it into the European Cup next season,” Goode revealed.

“We are delighted and have been given a golden chance with London Irish beating Sale and us having a good win over Harlequins.

“Now we have a fantastic opportunity to defend our title, albeit a very tough opportunity. The mood is good and everyone is buzzing and ready to go after a huge win down at Quins last weekend.”

Their reward, if you can call it that, for making the play-offs is a daunting trip to Kingsholm where they take on Gloucester, who finished top of the table thanks to their gritty 8-6 victory over Bath last weekend.

Perhaps daunting is an understatement, especially given that Gloucester have lost just once at home in the Premiership in their last twenty-two outings.

Although that defeat, to none other than Leicester, will give the Tigers hope as they look to make their fourth consecutive final.

Whilst Goode recognises Sunday's opponents are the form team he also knows if Leicester perform they are capable of beating Gloucester.

“Gloucester are the form team at the moment and will be a tough nut to crack,” admitted Goode.

“We know Kingsholm is a very tough place to go, and you have to go into every game believing you can win.

“I think of their last twenty-odd league games at home and they have lost just once, and that was to us, which gives us a boost of confidence.

“That said they are the form side at the moment. They finished top of the pile at the end of the regular season, which is no mean feat in itself, they beat Wasps away a couple of weeks ago and obviously Bath at home this weekend just gone.

“We will take confidence that we have won their already this season and know if we play to the best of our ability we will win. However if we fail to fire we know it could be a long old day down there.”

As reigning champions Leicester have been under increasing pressure this season, a season that to date has failed to yield a trophy. They crashed out of the Heineken Cup at the pool stages, before losing to the Ospreys in the EDF Energy Cup Final.

Goode, who has made 26 appearances for Leicester this season, feels they are victims of their own pressure, as well as feeling the strain somewhat with the World Cup being at the start of the season.

“Historically Leicester have always struggled in World Cup years with us giving so many players to international duty at that stage,” said Goode.

“Then this year we had a change of coach straight after the World Cup so it has all been a little hectic.

“I don't think we have felt the pressure of being Guinness Premiership champions, I think what we do is probably put too much pressure on ourselves in trying to win every competition we are in.

“We were disappointed to get knocked out at the group stages in Europe and then to lose to the Ospreys in the final of the EDF Energy Cup, but the play-offs are an opportunity we didn't expect to have.

“Obviously all four teams will have pressure on them to win it from here, but we see it as an opportunity we didn't expect to have and are going to give it all we have and do our best to defend our title.”

In fact anything but a fourth final, followed by a successful title defence, could see Leicester in tatters this summer.

The pressure has gradually been mounting on Head Coach Marcelo Loffreda, a man with a fine track record, but who has yet been unable to coax the best out of a star-studded Leicester squad.

Yet, as Goode rightly points out, the faults of the club should not be laid at the feet of one man; Loffreda, more than anyone, will be hoping a victory on Sunday could ease the pressure somewhat. And Goode needs no extra motivation than to deliver for the Argentinian.

“I think if anything the pressure has been a motivation for us as players,” he said.

“I also think it is pretty unfair that people point the finger at Marcelo when there are two other coaches, Richard Cockerill and Neil Back, who are part of the coaching set-up.

“Added to that their are players who have been under-performing and as a side we have been inconsistent throughout the year. So from all of that to point the finger at one man is pretty harsh and a cop-out really.

“At the end of the season, when all is said and done, we as a club will sit down and take a frank look at the past twelve months and decide how best to move forward.

“I think what the last two weeks has done is galvanise us as a group. We know everyone is looking at us saying we are not good enough and don't deserve to be in the play-offs and have been poor throughout the year. But all that does is spur us on to prove people wrong and hopefully that will be a strength of ours come the weekend.”

Goode wants nothing more than to guide Leicester into the final, and in the process repay the faith shown in him by Loffreda this season.

Throughout his career Goode has had to contend with his fair share of critics, not least when he was in the England set-up, but this year, under Loffreda, he has come into his own.

“Marcelo is a good guy, a good coach and very humble,” explained Goode.

“He has given me a lot of confidence as a player. We sit down every week and go through our game, as well as my role in it, and that has been a huge help for me.

“I think I have been playing some very good rugby this year and a lot of that comes from the confidence Marcelo has given me.

“He has backed me on a consistent basis and as a player that does wonders for your confidence and in turn that makes me want to go out and try