Pool Four/Leicester 34 Cardiff 0:Leicester have outhalf concerns ahead of their Pool Four decider against Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday, which is not a place to visit if you have problems in a pivotal position. Andy Goode is definitely out with a hamstring, Ian Humphreys picked up the same injury during Saturday's routine victory over the uninterested Blues, and Paul Burke has knee trouble.
Burke has the only realistic chance of the three of making a trip which has been fruitless for all those who have ventured to Limerick in the European Cup, and while Sam Vesty made an immediate impact out of position when he came on for Humphreys early in the second half, time and space will be at a premium against the holders.
"Are you Bourgoin in disguise?" jeered one Leicester supporter at the Blues as the Tigers took 31 minutes to bank a bonus point, exactly the same time they had needed against the French club's reserves the previous month.
That day, their first three tries had come down the left wing, and so it was here when Leicester exploited the rawness of the Blues' right-wing Tom James, a sprinter who only started playing union two years ago.
The tries all started when the Blues had possession. Lewis Moody forced two of the turnovers, and the flanker was at his destructive best all afternoon, a key figure in Leicester's plan of overwhelming a team which had nothing to play for by being very physical.
With Danny Hipkiss also forcing the Blues to cough up possession with the power of his challenges, the Welsh region lacked the presence at forward to abandon their strategy of taking play through phases and replace it with grunt and grind.
The best that can be said about the Blues is that they kept going and for periods in the second half gave Leicester's defence useful practice ahead of the weekend.
"We know how Munster will play," said the Leicester centre Daryl Gibson. "They know how to close a game down and put pressure on teams by being conservative. They'll look to let us take the risks and everyone will expect us to lose, but we know what we have to do if we want to remain in the competition.
"We picked a physical and confrontational back division against the Blues - there was not much silky passing, but it was about getting it right and it was pleasing that we stopped them from scoring."
Each one of Leicester's starting three-quarters scored tries, with two of the backrow finishing the scoring. Martin Corry remains influential for his club in defence and attack, the personification of a mentally hard side.
They need to beat Munster by more than two points, conceding fewer than four tries, to guarantee their place in the last eight. A bonus-point defeat would give them a chance of going through as one of the best two runners-up.
"It was a job well done against the Blues, but we have to back it up in Munster," said Corry. "We will go there full of confidence, with the mindset that only a victory will get us into the quarter-finals. We said after we lost our opening game to Munster that we had to win the next five to get through and that remains the case."
Whereas Leicester have followed defeat on the opening weekend with four victories, the Blues' victory at Bourgoin preceded double defeats at the hands of Leicester and Munster.
"We stuck at it and created chances," said the Blues' outhalf Nicky Robinson. "We have been in a group with two of the most successful sides in the history of the competition and they know how to close out tight games.
"It will be an interesting game on Saturday. If anyone can win in Munster, it is Leicester."
LEICESTER G Murphy; Rabeni, Hipkiss, Gibson, Tuilagi (Smith, 54; F Murphy, 72); Humphreys (Vesty, 43), Ellis; Ayerza (White, 48), Chuter (Buckland, 66), Castrogiovanni (Ayerza, 64), Cullen (Kay, 55), L Deacon, Jennings, Moody, Corry (capt). Tries: Tuilagi, Hipkiss, Gibson, Rabeni, Corry, Moody. Cons: Humphreys 2.
CARDIFF: Blair; James (Luveitasau, 68), J Robinson, Stcherbina (MacLeod, 72), Czekaj; N Robinson, Phillips (Fairhurst, 72); Jenkins, Goodfield (Williams, 46), Powell (Filise, 46), Jones (Down, 72), Morgan, White (Powell, 72), Shellard, Rush (capt). Sin-bin: Morgan 61.
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
