Dan McKellar is unimpressed by the prospect of facing opponents again in the pool stage. Photo: Telegraph/Darren Staples
Dan McKellar, Leicester Tigers head coach has questioned the strange European Cup run, which represents a repeat of his side's group stage play-off schedule.
Leicester face Leinster on Saturday in the round of 16, with the winner set to face either the Stormers or La Rochelle in the quarter-finals next weekend. All four teams split Group D earlier this season, with the Tigers beating the Stormers 35-26 before losing to La Rochelle 45-12. Leinster also faced La Rochelle back in December, winning 16-9.
Similar encounters are scattered throughout the rest of the draw. Northampton Saints, for example, will play Munster for the second time in a season in 16 years. Bordeaux-Begles, Saracens, Bulls and Lyon also met in two more matches.
“Did someone get something wrong when planning the competition?” McKellar said. “I was driving this morning and I was thinking, '[if we win] we'll go to France or South Africa to play the Stormers or La Rochelle… that sounds familiar.'
“Something's not right. I guess that's why you have swimming pools and you want variety. But it is what it is. We've got to play Leinster in Dublin this weekend. They've earned the right to host the tournament at home.” and we go there with full confidence, full of intentions to upset, because I don't think there are many people who will expect us to win.” McKellar explained that he would confirm “in the next 24 hours.” Will Leicester have Ollie Chessum, George Martin and Tommy Reffell available at the Aviva Stadium, with the three strikers still suffering from the “bumps and bruises” endured during Six Nations duty for England and Wales respectively.
In Chessum and Martin, as well as Dan Cole, McKellar has three players who started for England's 23-22 win over Ireland last month. A significant portion of the Irish squad will play against Leicester, although Jacques Nienaber and Leo Cullen are injury concerns as a host of Leinster forwards are tested this week, including Andrew Porter, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan and Harry Ringrose.
The Tigers take on Leinster for the fourth time in three European Cups and are aiming for a first win in that sequence. A 27-10 defeat in January, in which “we dominated for a long time”, emboldened a defiant McKellar.
“Look, this is an international rugby team,” he said. “But they have two arms, two legs and a heartbeat, and we go there with the intention of destroying them.”
“We believe,” McKellar added. “If you look at the DNA of Leicester Tigers, when everyone's back is against the wall and there is little hope of a positive outcome, then this club thrives.”
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