Leicester's head coach, Richard Cockerill, has hinted that his team will adopt a physical approach to blunt the Cardiff Blues in Sunday's Heineken Cup semi-final at the Millennium Stadium. Cardiff hammered Gloucester 50-12 in the EDF Energy Cup final and six of their players have been named in the British and Irish Lions squad for their summer tour of South Africa.
Cockerill said: "We've watched all their stuff on DVD. They are a very good side. You let them play and you let them do what they want to do and they are a very good side. But the teams who have taken them to task and physically fronted up to them have made them work very hard for their wins. That, maybe, is an approach we will take.
"They are very physical. They are a very good team but so are we. We don't drop off tackles, we don't concede many tries. We will make them work for everything they get, as I am sure they will do to us. I am sure it will be a very good game and I am a little bit reluctant to accept it will be one-way traffic."
He was unconcerned that the Tigers will be underdogs, adding: "Cardiff have got all the Lions players and they are in the best form of their lives and everything else. I'm all right with that [being underdogs]. But in our team meetings and in our dressing room, we are not underdogs. We will just deal with what we have to deal with."
Cockerill believes his own players are worthy of respect after finishing top of the Premiership and facing another semi-final in that competition against Bath six days after the Heineken Cup tie. "Cardiff are a great team," he added. "I've got no issue with that, but we are a good team, too, and people need to respect that."
The New Zealand centre Aaron Mauger is set to return for the Tigers after injury to face Cardiff. However, because Sam Vesty has been in excellent form, he may switch to fly-half at the expense of England's Toby Flood.
Cockerill said: "Aaron is fit and there is every chance he will be involved. But Sam has come in and done a superb job. I have to decide what is best for the start of the game. I know what I want to go in with, and the guys are aware who is playing. I can justify what I have done and the proof will be in the performance and the result at the weekend."
Cockerill confirmed that the former England skipper Martin Corry will not be in the starting XV despite being available after suspension and injury. He said: "The other guys have done enough to keep their places and Martin was banned for six weeks, came back and was then injured. He has not had enough games to get in the squad."
He is pleased to have a large squad to choose from with players returning from being on the sidelines. He said: "The injuries had been a hindrance earlier in the year but I think it has helped us now because we are getting guys back who haven't played for a while.
"Lewis Moody played for the first time in 13 weeks at the weekend against Bristol, did the full 80 minutes and performed very well.
"Having Julian White back in the mix has been fantastic, Ben Kay has been injured for several weeks and is back in the mix so those type of guys give you lots of impetus. We also have Marco Wentzel coming back in. I am very happy with having selection problems. The guys who are playing the best will play."
