Leicester Tigers and Llanelli Scarlets went face to face at a Walkers Stadium press conference on Friday as they put the finishing touches to their preparations for Saturday's Heineken Cup semi-final.
Tigers Head coach Pat Howard and captain Martin Corry shared the top table with counterparts Phil Davies and Simon Easterby for the official team announcements at an ERC press event.
All four then had photographs taken on the Walkers Stadium pitch and gave their final media interviews with the game quickly approaching.
Howard was asked about the quick turnaround from last week's EDF Energy Cup Final win over the Ospreys and how important it was to already have a major trophy in the bag.
"Winning last weekend was a start," he said. "We have been a pretty consistent side in most competitions for the last couple of years and it was very nice to get over the line. But tomorrow is a whole different ball game and we have got to make sure we rise another level."
Corry, who led the team's training run-out at the home of Leicester City in the morning, said: "It is a tremendous stadium, a tremendous pitch. We have heard about the support Llanelli Scarlets are bringing here, and we have our own passionate crowd as well so it is going to be a tremendous occasion."
Davies, in first his season with the Scarlets after a long spell in charge at Leeds Tykes, was in a relaxed mood, reading his own name out at No.8 in the official team announcement, before replacing it with that of Alix Popham.
"Leicester are a very formidable team and we have great respect for them," he said. "Their track record in getting to the business end of major competitions in the last five or six years speaks for itself. It is a big challenge and we are looking forward to it."
Heineken Cup tickets are available for collection only from the Tigers ticket office on Saturday as any unsold tickets were returned on Friday. The last remaining tickets will be on sale from the Walkers Stadium on matchday.
Tigers Head coach Pat Howard and captain Martin Corry shared the top table with counterparts Phil Davies and Simon Easterby for the official team announcements at an ERC press event.
All four then had photographs taken on the Walkers Stadium pitch and gave their final media interviews with the game quickly approaching.
Howard was asked about the quick turnaround from last week's EDF Energy Cup Final win over the Ospreys and how important it was to already have a major trophy in the bag.
"Winning last weekend was a start," he said. "We have been a pretty consistent side in most competitions for the last couple of years and it was very nice to get over the line. But tomorrow is a whole different ball game and we have got to make sure we rise another level."
Corry, who led the team's training run-out at the home of Leicester City in the morning, said: "It is a tremendous stadium, a tremendous pitch. We have heard about the support Llanelli Scarlets are bringing here, and we have our own passionate crowd as well so it is going to be a tremendous occasion."
Davies, in first his season with the Scarlets after a long spell in charge at Leeds Tykes, was in a relaxed mood, reading his own name out at No.8 in the official team announcement, before replacing it with that of Alix Popham.
"Leicester are a very formidable team and we have great respect for them," he said. "Their track record in getting to the business end of major competitions in the last five or six years speaks for itself. It is a big challenge and we are looking forward to it."
Heineken Cup tickets are available for collection only from the Tigers ticket office on Saturday as any unsold tickets were returned on Friday. The last remaining tickets will be on sale from the Walkers Stadium on matchday.
