Leicester coach Richard Cockerill.

AFP/London

Richard Cockerill has said the fact his Leicester side are playing arch-rivals rivals Northampton in the English Premiership semi-finals will be all the motivation they need.

The Tigers beat Northampton in last season’s Premiership final at Twickenham, a match where the Saints never recovered from the red card shown to England hooker Dylan Hartley for swearing at referee Wayne Barnes.

And in this term’s regular season, Leicester were the only side to win at Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens ground, the venue for Friday’s semi-final.

Leicester have not lost to Northampton in 10 fixtures, a record which Cockerill, a veteran of the East Midlands derby as a player as well as a coach, is well aware.

“I would hate to lose to Northampton because I would hate to lose to Northampton, don’t worry about it being a semi-final,” said Cockerill of a rivalry between the two clubs that dates back 134 years.

Victory would see Leicester into a tenth consecutive Premiership final and for all that Northampton finished second in the league, four points in front of the Tigers, it is Cockerill’s men who will be the favourites.

But New Zealand-born Hartley said now was the time for the Saints to set the record straight and end a winless run against Leicester that stretches back four years.

“I think we respond well to challenges,” he said. “Ulster away last season, Leinster away this season.

“When it is laid down to us, we respond well. We can’t keep saying success is being a top-four side. The next thing to measure our success is a trophy.”

Saturday’s second semi-final is an all-London affair between table-toppers Saracens and Harlequins, Leicester’s two immediate predecessors as champions of England.

Saracens also have a European Cup final against French defending champions Toulon in Cardiff the following weekend in their sights.

But Sarries director of rugby Mark McCall said the pain of losing last season’s domestic semi-final to Northampton would keep his side’s concentration on the job at hand. 

“We were disappointed with how we played in last season’s semi-final,” said McCall.

“That disappointment has been there for 12 months, and all our focus is going to be on our preparation for Quins.

“Whatever happens the week after is irrelevant. We are desperate to get through to the final.” 

Harlequins, who edged out Bath for a semi-final spot, have won just one of their last ten matches with Saracens.

Indeed Saracens triumphed 39-17 when the teams last met at Wembley in March.

But Quins chief Conor O’Shea, like McCall a former Ireland international, knows his team will arrive at Saracens’ home ground in north-west London on a fine run of form.

“We’ve won 13 out of our last 17, we’ve won our last five in a row, we’ve had to scrape wins but mental strength is a huge thing.”

O’Shea added: “We’ll be completely written off, I’m pretty comfortable with that - you can write this team off any day.”

Premiership semi-finals

Friday: Northampton v Leicester (1845GMT)

Saturday: Saracens v Harlequins (1300GMT)