When Tigers return to kick off the five-match run-in to the end of the Aviva Premiership league programme with the trip to Exeter Chiefs on March 23, the international players will be back in club colours and Cockerill is also antipicating some good news from other players on the way back from injury.
Eight Tigers players were with England last week, while Martin Castrogiovanni collected his 95th cap for Italy, but they will all be back on club duty and available for the run-in to the end of the domestic season.
“We’ve had a tough spell with some key players missing and some big holes to fill,” said Tigers director of rugby Cockerill.
“The internationals have been away and we’ve had double injuries in the same positions in the team too.
“But hopefully we should have everyone back available for the return to the league programme. We will need our entire squad to try to win the Aviva Premiership – and we need all the guys on good form too.”
Tom Croft has made massive strides in his rehabilitation following a neck injury, making five club appearances before a recall to the England squad this week, while Geordan Murphy, Anthony Allen, Steve Mafi and Louis Deacon are among those working back to full fitness.
Dan Bowden, Ed Slater and Brett Deacon are among the players who have performed strongly in the Tigers team during the Six Nations period and Cockerill will have options available within the squad when everyone returns.
“Tom Croft’s attitude has been outstanding,” said Cockerill. “He has used his time away from playing to do his work on conditioning which meant he was able to look sharp as soon as he came back in.
“He’s had a really tough time with the injury but the club has been good with it and Tom has been very good with it and thankfully we are getting rewards for that now.
“Geordan came back in and was outstanding in the game against Saracens, and we’ve got Deacs and Steve Mafi are to come back in.
“Now we need all those guys with just five league games to go and Europe. We’ve got some huge games to come.”
