Tight-knit Tigers have always felt right at home on Europe's big stage

Published on Thursday 21 May 2009 23:03

CRAIG Joiner did not win the Heineken Cup in his time at Leicester, but he won enough with the Welford Road club to have a fair idea of how much a record-equalling fifth appearance in Europe's premier final will mean to his former club tomorrow.

Joiner left Melrose for Leicester at the onset of professionalism in 1996 and was part of the club's surge to the European Cup final in that first year of English and Scottish representation. He missed the latter stages due to a groin injury and the Tigers lost to Brive in the Cardiff Arms Park, but the Scotland winger sensed then that the new European dimension was well suited to Leicester.

"I really enjoyed my time with them and it's no surprise to me that they're back here again contesting another final," he said.

"In my first year with them we won the Pilkington Cup and in the second reached the European Cup final and lost to Brive, and in the next two we won the Premiership, then the Allied Dunbar title. But Europe provided something special; something different and for a club like Leicester where everything is geared towards being the best it was a great new opportunity.

"It always was a club with a huge history, and also a huge desire to be successful. But what struck me then and is still with me is how close everyone was at Leicester. It was a big club, but such a family club as well. The players were all quite local then and we did a lot together, on and off the park; wives and girlfriends were always welcome and played a role, and it created a real strong bond through the club which definitely helped you as a player there.

"I remember also how I'd be recognised walking through Leicester, but though I'd played for Scotland for a few years I could happily walk along Princes Street without anyone recognising me. That underlined how big rugby was down there."

Leicester have featured in the last five Guinness Premiership finals, but last week's triumph over London Irish was only their second in that time. They have struggled with changes in coaching direction from old favourite Dean Richards to Aussie Pat Howard, Marcelo Loffreda, the Argentina coach, to Heyneke Meyer, the former Bulls coach, and now back to former hooker Richard Cockerill and lost their famed consistency.

Last season, defeat to Edinburgh at Murrayfield ended their involvement before the quarter-finals for only the third time in the tournament's history – Glasgow Caledonians contributed to the pool exit when Joiner was there in 1999-2000. The Scot returned north to join Edinburgh after that season and in his twilight years played a key role in helping the side reach the quarter-finals in 2004.

"That was quite an achievement for us at that time," he said. "We won five of our six games, beating Toulouse at home, Ospreys and Leeds home and away, and we were just unlucky that we got Toulouse over there in the quarter-finals – they lost to Wasps in the final that year.

"It would have been great to see Edinburgh build on that but it's tough at that level; the difference between the English and Scottish game in terms of resources is significant. What I remember clearly about Leicester and how they prepared for the intensity of the big Premiership and Heineken games was the Wednesday morning defence session. It was a full-on contact session and if you managed to get through that you earned your stripes with the team and could take anything on the Saturday. The confrontation was more fierce in training than it was on a Saturday to be honest.

"I was Martin Corry's best man and he was mine and we remain very good friends, and while some things have evolved at Leicester he gives the impression that a lot remains the same, including that approach. Richard Cockerill came through that system and I played with him. I'd never have had Richard cut out as coach material, and he'll never be one for seeking flair and fancy rugby – he'll have the forwards playing it up the jumper on a bad day – but he has a wealth of talent in the back division to the extent that someone with as much quality as Harry Ellis can't get in the team every week.

"The secret I think to their return to this is the strength of their squad, but it's going to be put to the test this week in a game of this magnitude coming just a week after the Premiership final. I worry about how tired they will be after that."

However, Joiner remains confident that Murrayfield fans will witness a more entertaining spectacle than the last final staged here, where Toulouse edged out Stade Francais after extra-time four years ago.

" I'm hoping it will be a good game, especially with the fact Murrayfield is almost sold out this time, but wouldn't want to call it."