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Rugby News

We have to keep control says O'Connor

A tense victory over Wasps last weekend kept Tigers in the frame to challenge for semi-final places in the Aviva Premiership
A tense victory over Wasps last weekend kept Tigers in the frame to challenge for semi-final places in the Aviva Premiership

Matt O’Connor says Leicester Tigers will focus on themselves and cannot be distracted by events elsewhere in the Aviva Premiership with just four rounds left to play.

Tigers are without a fixture over Easter after being eliminated from the European Champions Cup in the pool stages and return to league action against Bath Rugby at Twickenham next Saturday.

Home games against Northampton and Newcastle follow before a trip to Sale Sharks on the last day of the league programme.

“We would like to be playing in European quarter-finals but that was not to be,” said head coach O’Connor. “But it’s not a week off. We have started building again for another massive game against Bath at Twickenham and we need to stay in there.

“Our destiny is in our own hands and that is all you can ask. We’re still going for top four and playing for trophies at the end of the season.

“We cannot control others, all we can do is try to keep winning and picking up points. It is going to be very tight, there are massive games all over the league.”

O’Connor said it was essential for Tigers to take the points from the Round 18 clash with Wasps at Welford Road last weekend to stay in the hunt and three second-half penalties from George Ford secured a 16-15 victory in front of a 25,000 full house.

“The result was enormous, especially given the other results over the weekend,” he said immediately after the game. 

“It is going to be very tight. A lot can happen before the end of May. We just control what we can do.”

Tickets for home games against Northampton Saints on Saturday, April 14 and Newcastle Falcons on Friday, April 27 are on general sale to all supporters at the Tigers ticket office now. Book in person at Welford Road, phone the ticket office on 0116 319 8888 or online.