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Leicester Tigers set sights on top spot

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Leicester Tigers booked a place in the Aviva Premiership play-offs but now have bigger targets in their sights.

A 35-16 victory over Wasps on their first showing at Welford Road in six weeks delighted a 24,000 sell-out crowd.

One more win from games at Bath and at home to London Irish will secure a home semi-final, but director of rugby Richard Cockerill is hoping to go one better and topple a Saracens side four points ahead of them.

"The home semi-final is in our grasp but we want to finish top if we can," he said.

"That will rely on Saracens slipping up somewhere but they are fighting on two fronts (domestic and Europe) so let's hope they go all the way and wear themselves out."

Cockerill said his side had put in a "half-decent performance" after they ran in five tries against a Wasps outfit without half of its regulars. And he was pleased there was no hangover from last weekend in Toulon.

"There was a danger from the last couple of weeks that we could be a bit flat but it was 'job done' and five points," said Cockerill.

"Over a 36-game season, it is hard to beat the drum every week. Last week was a must-win game and we beat the drum. This week, you cannot keep saying the same things.

"We had a low-key week and only trained twice which left everyone freshened-up and ready to play.

"It was half-decent performance and there were some bits to improve on.

"We were a bit disjointed when we took people off to protect them but the win keeps third and fourth place far enough away from us with a couple of weekends to go."

Tigers withdrew England trio Geoff Parling (shoulder), Tom Croft (back) and Tom Youngs (ankle) on the day of the game and then took off Steve Mafi and Dan Cole at half-time.

But Cockerill insisted all five should be fit for selection for this week's trip to Bath.

"Parling, Croft and Tom Youngs probably could have played but there was no point in risking them," said Cockerill. "They trained yesterday and we took them to the line but we made the call not to take them out there.

"We took Mafi off as a precaution because he has not played for 11 weeks."

Leicester Tigers set sights on top spot


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