Robert Kitson previews must-win games for Leicester and Leinster in the Heineken Cup in The Guardian.
"Last weekend all remaining general public tickets for this season's Heineken Cup final in Paris sold out six months in advance. There are two instinctive reactions: 1) Are there really still six months of the season to go? (Answer: Yes, you lightweight); and 2) Can't wait. When it comes to refreshing jaded rugby palates, nothing does the trick quite like the lure of Paris in late spring and the glorious certainty of significant drama en route.
"So never mind the buzzwords of recent weeks: slow ball, breakdown, endless kicking. Good riddance, for now, to England's deficiencies and depressing law interpretations. Just place yourself instead in the boots of last season's finalists, Leinster and Leicester. Back in October a trip to Parc y Scarlets might not have unduly concerned Leinster; suddenly their hosts are two from two and, thanks to London Irish's victory at the RDS, it could yet be checkmate for their Australian coach, Michael Cheika, if they lose in west Wales without a bonus point. Leicester, having drawn at home to the Ospreys, will effectively be stuffed Tigers before Christmas if they contrive to lose home and away to Clermont Auvergne over the next two weekends. Ticking away in everyone's mind, too, is the need to score tries to enhance qualification prospects. It is a wonderfully combustible mix.
"In some cases, sides have no option but to come out firing, regardless of weather or opposition. Home defeats for Harlequins and Bath and, qualification-wise, it will be over and out. Gloucester have precious little margin for error, as do Perpignan and Clermont. It may surprise some to hear that Toulouse have lost their last three away games in the French Top 14, most recently at Brive. What price a cheeky little home win for the Blues in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon?"
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