European Cup semi-finals/Leicester Tigers v Llanelli:If rugby matches were decided by sympathy votes alone, there would be only one winner of today's Heineken European Cup semi-final at the Walkers Stadium. One of the greatest of all Llanelli legends, Ray Gravell, is lying in hospital in Carmarthen having had part of his right leg amputated, and there would be no better tonic than a win for the Scarlets at Leicester's expense.

Few have ever rivalled the warm-hearted Gravell for indefatigable passion or infectious Celtic charm, and he would be the last to complain if Llanelli's illustrious 1972 success over the All Blacks were superseded by a Welsh team hoisting aloft the European Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1995-'96. It would be a huge achievement and, given the current political posturing in England and France, a timely statement as well.

Neither Gravell nor his beloved Scarlets need reminding, of course, that Leicester do not indulge in match-day sentimentality. There have also been signs in the last couple of weeks of the Tigers gathering strength in the run-in under the expert eye of the conditioning guru Craig White, a past master of the peaking arts in a previous life at Wasps.

Having floored the Ospreys last Sunday, they have already acquired a taste for dragons' blood.

Were this game not taking place a mere six days later and were it inside their normal Welford Road lair, the smart money would be on a win for Martin Corry's team.

But this is Europe and the champions of 2001 and 2002 go down the road knowing their two previous visits have resulted in defeats to Toulouse and Bath respectively.

Their head coach, Pat Howard, is even treating it as an away game, conscious his players coped well enough on hostile turf in Munster in January.

"We've got to rock up and play regardless of where it is," said Howard, dismissing any possibility of a jinx.

The Scarlets, though, have already secured glorious away wins in Toulouse and Ulster during an unbeaten pool campaign and will not be as generous with turnover ball as the Ospreys were last week.

Their captain, Simon Easterby, is talking about "raising the bar", not least at the breakdown, where he and his fellow Scarlet back-rows will give the fit-again Lewis Moody and Shane Jennings a persistently hard time.

Without the injured Martin Castrogiovanni, Leicester will need to be more resilient than ever to progress. Phil Davies, staring at relegation with Leeds this time last year, could just have the last laugh.

Leicester, in addition, will be without their Argentinian prop Marcos Ayerza, whose three-week ban for punching Remy Martin of Stade Français was reduced by only three days yesterday, insufficient to make him eligible today.

Northampton have also fallen foul of the disciplinary system after discovering their hooker, Dylan Hartley, is ineligible for European action as he prepares to answer allegations of eye-gouging at a hearing on Tuesday.

Had it been a Premiership game, Hartley could have played against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry tomorrow; either way he is in severe danger of missing next Saturday's crucial relegation fixture against London Irish as well.

The Saints have reacted by promoting Matias Cortese, with the captain, Bruce Reihana, reverting to fullback.

The only slight glimmer of hope in Wasps' selection is the sore knee that has restricted the wily Alex King to the bench, the 19-year-old Danny Cipriani at outhalf in a starting back line that also lacks Josh Lewsey, who is on the bench.

Ian McGeechan prefers Paul Sackey and Tom Voyce on the wings and Lawrence Dallaglio again keeps James Haskell waiting.

Nothing is certain but a Wasps v Llanelli final at Twickenham on May 20th would keep organisers and romantics happy.

Guardian Service