Tigers thriving on play-off expectation - Parling

Leicester Tigers are embracing the pressure as they continue their hunt for Prem glory, says head coach Geoff Parling.

With two games of the regular season to go, third-placed Tigers, leaders Northampton Saints and Bath are all still chasing a prized home semi-final in the Prem play-offs.

"I back us to beat anybody anywhere if we play our game," Parling told BBC Radio Leicester, "but we all know we would love to be in front of our home fans."

There are two statistics, though, that perhaps add extra spice to what promises to be a tense run-in - Leicester have never lost a home semi-final, while no side has ever finished third in the table and gone on to win the title.

Leicester host fourth-placed Exeter on Sunday before finishing the regular season at champions Bath, who are currently a point ahead of Tigers in second place.

Tigers flanker Olly Cracknell added: "We definitely want to push and get a home semi-final. It's obviously massive and Welford Road at home for a semi-final is absolutely unbelievable. I remember last year's was just incredible."

Having rejoined Tigers a year ago, Parling - who previously spent several years as forwards coach with Australia's national team - is now settled back in the East Midlands with his family, at a club where he won two Premiership titles as a player.

"It's been interesting for my family, settling back in, we're getting there now I feel," he added. "There's a really good pressure at the club, people expect a lot, and that's a great pressure to be involved in.

"The tradition and the history is a great thing, you've got to recognise it. We're building our own story now, but it's the people throughout the whole club that keep driving that desire to win.

"It's been very busy, but I've loved the attitude of the players. They made the decision to work hard, they made the decision to try to grasp what is ahead of us. I can help them get there and facilitate but they're the ones that are really trying.

"The focus is always 'this week and what do we have to do?'. Our game is in a good place. I think we've shown we're multi-faceted and there are lots of different areas we are good at. We've got to keep pushing and keep growing."

The experienced Cracknell, meanwhile, highlighted the strong spirit running through the group as Tigers prepare for the decisive phase.

"There's a good feeling," Cracknell, 32, added to BBC Radio Leicester. "Geoff's been good at balancing that side and I think it's something important to him [for us] to have.

"One of the benefits of him being a relatively young coach, not long out of the game, is that he knows the different feel of teams and that's something that's important to him and that's really come through.

"[Ollie] Chessum has been unbelievable as captain this year. There are already experienced internationals, although they're very young, within this squad.

"Players who won the 2022 Premiership. It's quite exciting to see how they're driving the team, it's pretty cool."

Listen to Olly Cracknell's full interview on BBC Sounds.