Leicester Tigers won eight of the last nine games of the league season to reach the Aviva Premiership semi-finals and Richard Cockerill hopes the team can take that form into the knockout rounds.“We’ve had to work really hard and haven’t play as well as we would have liked, but it’s job done as far as that part goes and now we can prepare for the semi-finals,” said director of rugby Cockerill after a 22-14 win over Northampton Saints on Saturday secured third spot in the table and a semi-final away to Bath Rugby next Saturday.   “It’s been tough, but we are resilient, we’ve worked hard, we’ve played some decent rugby at times too. And after 22 rounds the table does not lie.   “It has not been pretty at times but we have been effective. Let’s hope we can continue to be just as effective now we’re into the one-off games.   “We knew Saints would be committed and we never quite got far enough away from them and it was a bit awkward all round, but we did enough to win and now we can focus on Bath.”   Jordan Crane and Niall Morris scored the tries as Tigers booked their place in the play-off stages for an 11th successive seasons and capped a push from the bottom half of the table as recently as mid-February. Saints had already secured top spot, with Bath at home in the other semi-final, while Saracens pipped Exeter Chiefs to the remaining place in the top four.   “Bath have played very well,” said Cockerill. “They’ve got a very good midfield, a very good attack and a big forward pack. They’ve had a very good attack all season.   “It is a one-off game and you have to take your best game there and give it a crack.   “We might have had a poor season at times by our own standards but we’re there in the top four again and now it’s down to big one-off games.”   Tickets for the semi-final away to Bath go on general sale on Tuesday morning from the Tigers ticket office.   If you are unable to join Leicester Tigers at the Recreation Ground, you can follow all of the action with coverage on the big screens in The Final Whistle at Welford Road from 12pm. Click here to buy your ticket now, phone the Tigers ticket office on 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or visit Welford Road in person.