EDF ENERGY CUP FINAL

Saturday 12 April 2008, Twickenham 2.30PM (Live on BBC1)

Leicester Tigers v Ospreys

Leicester Tigers are the reigning EDF Energy Cup holders having beaten the same opponents Ospreys 41-35 in last season’s final at Twickenham.

The Tigers currently lie in 4^th place in the Guinness Premiership table, as they contest their 12^th domestic cup final. Leicester have won their last eight matches against Welsh teams since losing 15-24 against Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade in the EDF Energy Cup on 30 September 2005.

Last season’s losing finalists in the EDF Energy Cup, Ospreys, are in 6^th spot in the Magners League table, and have lost just once in the EDF Energy Cup since October 2005.

The two teams have met on three previous occasions since Ospreys came into existence in 2003, with Leicester victorious in each instance.

 
Tigers’ EDF Energy path to Twickenham

Pool B: 27/10/2007 - BATH RUGBY (13) 20, LEICESTER TIGERS (11) 14

Team: Sam Vesty(1T); Johne Murphy, Ayoola Erinle, Matt Cornwell, Tom Varndell; Ian Humphreys(3PG), Frank Murphy; Dan Cole, Mefin Davies (capt), David Young; Richard Blaze, Marco Wentzel; Tom Croft, Luke Abraham, Jordan Crane.

Bench: Gavin Hickie, Marcos Ayerza, Alex Moreno, James Hamilton, Ben Herring, Tom Youngs, Ben Youngs.

Replacements used: Ayerza for Cole 45, Moreno for Young 45, T.Youngs for Cornwell 45, Hamilton for Blaze 53.

Pool B: 3/11/2007 - LEICESTER TIGERS (9) 42, CARDIFF BLUES (6) 20

Team: Geordan Murphy; Tom Varndell(1T), Dan Hipkiss(1T), Seru Rabeni, Alesana Tuilagi; Andy Goode(1C, 3PG), Frank Murphy; Marcos Ayerza, Benjamin Kayser, Julian White; Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Martin Corry (capt), Lewis Moody, Jordan Crane.

Bench: Mefin Davies, Martin Castrogiovanni, James Hamilton, Luke Abraham, Christophe Laussucq, Paul Burke(3C), Johne Murphy(2T). Penalty Try:1.

Replacements used: J.Murphy for Tuilagi 41, Castrogiovanni for White 52, Burke for Goode 54, Davies for Kayser 66, Laussucq for F.Murphy 69, Hamilton for Kay 69, Abraham for Moody 71.

Pool B: 30/11/2007 - LEICESTER TIGERS (10) 32, SALE SHARKS (3) 8

Team: Geordan Murphy; Johne Murphy(1T), Ollie Smith, Dan Hipkiss(1T), Tom Varndell(1T); Andy Goode(3C, 2PG), Frank Murphy; Marcos Ayerza, Benjamin Kayser, Julian White; Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Martin Corry (capt), Luke Abraham, Jordan Crane.

Bench: George Chuter, Alex Moreno, James Hamilton, Tom Croft(1T), Ben Youngs, Sam Vesty, Ayoola Erinle.

Replacements used: Hamilton for Kay 38, Vesty for G.Murphy 42, Croft for Crane 61, Chuter for Kayser 63, Moreno for White 72.

Semi-final: 22/3/2008 - LEICESTER TIGERS (13) 34, LONDON WASPS (12) 24

Team: Johne Murphy; Tom Varndell, Seru Rabeni(1T), Dan Hipkiss(1T), Alesana Tuilagi; Andy Goode(1T, 4C, 2PG), Harry Ellis; Boris Stankovich, George Chuter, Martin Castrogiovanni(1T); Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Tom Croft, Ben Herring, Martin Corry (capt).

Bench: Benjamin Kayser, Marcos Ayerza, Julian White, Jordan Crane, Christophe Laussucq, Matt Cornwell, Sam Vesty.

Replacements used: Ayerza for Stankovich 45, Crane for Herring 49, White for Castrogiovanni 51, Castrogiovanni for White 61, White for Castrogiovanni 72, Kayser for Chuter 74, Vesty for Goode 77.

Ospreys’ EDF Energy path to Twickenham

Pool C: 27/10/2007 - WORCESTER WARRIORS (6) 16, OSPREYS (21) 47

Team: Lee Byrne(2T); Nikki Walker(1T), Sonny Parker(1T), Gavin Henson, Shane Williams(2T); James Hook(4C), Justin Marshall; Duncan Jones, Huw Bennett, Cai Griffiths; Ian Gough, Ian Evans; Jonathan Thomas, Ben Lewis, Filo Tiatia (capt) (sin bin 43-53).

Bench: Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Alun-Wyn Jones, Hale T-Pole, Mike Phillips(1T), Shaun Connor(2C), Andrew Bishop.

Replacements used: A.Jones for Griffiths 48, A.W.Jones for Gough 59, Phillips for Marshall 66, Bishop for Parker 66, Hibbard for Bennett 67, T-Pole for Thomas 71, Connor for Hook 71, Griffiths for D.Jones 71.

Pool C: 4/11/2007 - OSPREYS (20) 51, LONDON IRISH (16) 16

Team: Lee Byrne; Nikki Walker, Andrew Bishop, Gavin Henson, Shane Williams(3T); James Hook(4C, 2PG), Mike Phillips(1T); Duncan Jones, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones; Alun-Wyn Jones(1T), Ian Evans; Jonathan Thomas(1T), Ben Lewis(1T), Filo Tiatia (capt).

Bench: Richard Hibbard, Paul James, Ian Gough, Marty Holah, Justin Marshall, Shaun Connor(1C), Mark Taylor.

Replacements used: Marshall for Phillips 54, Taylor for A.Bishop 54, Holah for Lewis 60, Hibbard for Bennett 62, James for D.Jones 62, Gough for Tiatia 62, Connor for Hook 72, D.Jones for A.Jones 72.

Pool C: 2/12/2007 - HARLEQUINS (3) 8, OSPREYS (6) 19

Team: Lee Byrne (sin bin 30-41); Nikki Walker, Mark Taylor, Sonny Parker, Shane Williams; Gavin Henson (sin bin 35-47)(1T, 1C, 4PG), Mike Phillips; Paul James (sin bin 26-37), Huw Bennett, Adam Jones; Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Evans; Hale T-Pole, Marty Holah, Jonathan Thomas (capt).

Bench: Richard Hibbard, Duncan Jones, Lyndon Bateman, Ben Lewis, Rhodri Wells, Shaun Connor, Andrew Millward.

Replacements used: D.Jones for T-Pole 31, T-Pole for D.Jones 37, D.Jones for James 62, Lewis for T-Pole 68, Millward for A.Jones 68, Hibbard for Bennett 69, Connor for Taylor 69, Bateman for Evans 80.

Semi-final: 22/3/2008 - OSPREYS (8) 30, SARACENS (0) 3

Team: Lee Byrne; Jonny Vaughton, Sonny Parker, Gavin Henson(1T), Shane Williams(2T); James Hook(2C, 2PG), Mike Phillips; Paul James, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones; Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Evans; Jonathan Thomas, Marty Holah, Ryan Jones (capt).

Bench: Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Lyndon Bateman, Filo Tiatia(1T), Justin Marshall, Daniel Biggar, Andrew Bishop.

Replacements used: Bennett for Hibbard 13, Hibbard for Bennett 23, Marshall for Byrne 44, Byrne for Marshall 49, Bennett for Hibbard 61, D.Jones for James 61, Tiatia for Thomas 61, Marshall for Phillips 69, James for A.Jones 72, A.Bishop for Henson 72, Bateman for Evans 73, Biggar for Hook 77.

A COMPREHENSIVE MATCH PREVIEW OF THE MAIN EVENT

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs. EXETER CHIEFS

WILL BE PUBLISHED ON COMEONYOUSAINTS.COM ON WEDNESDAY EVENING

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