Crane had another fine game at the base of the Tigers scrum as the reigning Guinness Premiership champions booked their place in the May 31 showdown with London Wasps.
“We hadn’t been playing well over the last few weeks but the boys have shown their character,” said Crane. “The confidence is at a high now so we wouldn’t mind who we play or where we play them.
“Looking back with 10 minutes to go in the Quins game, we were out of the top four and out of Europe, and now we’re in the Guinness Premiership Final. It’s been unbelievable.”
Prior to the match against Quins on May 10, Tigers’ sole focus was on securing Heineken Cup qualification. The fact that they ended the game with a place in the Premiership semi-finals was an unexpected bonus and one that they were determined to make the most of.
“We went into the game at Gloucester with a no fear attitude and it worked. We outscored Gloucester by two tries to one when they’re a side renowned for throwing the ball about and scoring tries.
“Kingsholm is a hard place to come and play and that makes it a little more special. It was a game of attrition where we had to do the basics right. We came in at half-time and said we had to keep believing in ourselves, keep playing and the result would come. That’s two weeks running that that’s happened. We’re now in the final and everyone’s delighted.”
