ANDRE JOUBERT of South Africa and France Abdel Benazzi head Leicester's shopping list for the key players the English Cup winners need to spearhead next season's campaign in Europe and at home.
The Midlands club will move swiftly to strengthen their battle weary squad after securing the Pilkington Cup in a disappointing, errorstrewn and fryless Twicken ham final, beating Sale 9-3.
Bob Dwyer, Leicester's director of rugby, believes the major trophies will be within the Tigers' grasp once they have recruited a couple of top quality internationals to join Joel Sfransky, the Springbok goalkicker whose three penalties, to one in replay from Simon Mannix, ultimately left Sale empty handed.
Leicester's Lions, Martin Johnson, Will Greenwood and Austin Healey, were among the home grown stars who had helped to make the Tigers the "most successful side in England over a long period," according to Dwyer. Certainly that hyperactive trio were essential elements in Leicester's rock solid defensive performance which was bolstered for the final nerve racking 15 minutes by the presence of Dean Richards who replaced John Wells.
It was entirely fitting that Johnson, the captain, asked Richards to lead the team up to receive the Cup after the great man had reorganised the pack to such good effect that they destroyed Sale's capacity to win quick usable ball.
