EDF Energy Cup - : Cipriani and co hold no fear for scoring-machine Goode

Andy Goode is determined to keep Tigers' grip on the EDF Energy Cup

Cipriani and co hold no fear for scoring-machine Goode

20 March 2008, 2:03 pm

By Dan Pritchard

Leicester Tigers continue their defence of the EDF Energy Cup this Saturday with an enticing semi-final against London Wasps at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Having been part of the trophy-winning squad in April of last year, Tigers fly-half Andy Goode insists he and his team-mates would love the opportunity to appear in a second successive final next month.

“It’s an exciting time,” says Goode, who became the Guinness Premiership’s leading points-scorer during Saturday’s win over Saracens at Welford Road. “We’re two games away from winning the trophy so to be playing Wasps in the semi-final is a great challenge for us.”

Bonus-point wins over Cardiff Blues and Sale Sharks secured Tigers’ place in the last four of the competition, after their Group B campaign had begun with a bonus-point in defeat away to Bath. It was a similar situation to last season, when Tigers picked up a total of 11 points in the group stages, with a large proportion of the squad gaining valuable game time.

“We did well in this year’s group stages to beat Cardiff and Sale and we picked up a losing bonus point at Bath, when we sent a very young team out,” said Goode. “We’ve given ourselves a chance to retain the trophy and we’re all desperate to do that. Last year was brilliant for the club. The squad was used very well throughout the tournament and winning the EDF Energy Cup no doubt helped us win the Premiership title and get to the Heineken Cup Final.”

If Tigers are to make it through to Twickenham for the second successive year, Goode knows that his side will have to be at their best to defeat a strong Wasps squad who have been in impressive form of late.

“We’re defending the trophy but Wasps are a very good side and it’s going to be a great occasion. The Millennium Stadium is a great place to play and we’re all looking forward to it. It was a happy changing room on Saturday after the Saracens game because of the win and the way we attacked at times but we all know we can improve. We know that we’ll have to play some of our best rugby to beat Wasps, so we’ll be focusing this week on hopefully doing that.”