Leicester Tigers vs Bath: Will Butt – I want to go out on a high

By PAUL REES

PREVIEW…

Leicester Tigers v Bath

Today. Kick-off 4pm, Welford Road

Will Butt intends to leave Bath on a high after deciding to end his 12-year playing association with the club and join Exeter Chiefs in the summer.

The England A centre has been with Bath, the club he supported as a boy, since he was 14 and started last season’s Premiership Cup and Challenge Cup finals, picking up a winner’s medal each time.

The battle for the centre positions is fierce at The Rec with Ollie Lawrence, Max Ojomoh, Cameron Redpath and Louie Hennessey, who was on Wales‘s bench in Dublin on Friday, all in contention for next year’s World Cup.

“It was a hugely difficult decision,” said Butt, 26, who has signed a three-year deal with the Chiefs and leads Bath in today’s Prem Cup semi-final against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

High note

“I have been here my whole career and it is a place I have a lot of love for, but I felt it was the right time – I am not that young anymore and that played a part in it.

“I will miss the people here because they make it special. The easier decision, potentially, was to stay because I have been so comfortable here, but I just want to go out on a high note.

“I grew up supporting Bath and came through the academy. Leading the side this season has been special for me and a game at Leicester is always something to look forward to, given the big rivalry between the clubs over the years.

“It is a good ground for a visiting player, a big English rugby venue, although I hope the pitch has dried out.

“The first thing about Leicester is their physicality and we have to be ready for that.”

Transformative

Bath have used 51 players in the competition this season and coach Mark Lilley believes winning the Prem Cup a year ago was transformative for the club.

“It was our first trophy for a while,” he said. “It gave us momentum and added to our squad depth, which helped us in the Challenge Cup and Premiership run-ins.

“We know we are going to have to perform well if we are to make the final. Leicester are in form, performing across all three competitions.

“We are going to have to be at our best, but we are in a good place. We will have to better their physicality and they are a team that kicks well – we have to understand how to take that away from them and attack from it.”

Home advantage

If Leicester win, they will enjoy home advantage in the final and only Leinster have tamed the Tigers at Welford Road this season, with Bath among those who fell short.

“Winning things can be quite rare for players – they can go their whole careers without ever getting the chance,” said head coach Geoff Parling, above. “We have got an opportunity to now go and do something.”

Leicester start Billy Searle at fly-half with Orlando Bailey moving to centre, while James O’Connor, Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Tom Whiteley feature in the backline.

Will Hurd and Tom Manz come into the pack.

Bath select British and Irish Lion Chris Harris alongside Butt in midfield as the visitors opt for an inexperienced XV.