Leicester face a fight to preserve their place among the European elite on Saturday when this season's Guinness Premiership play-off race reaches its climax.

Tigers, their play-off hopes virtually extinguished, are still not certain of securing Heineken Cup qualification next season.

Defeat at home to Harlequins - accompanied by victory for seventh-placed London Irish over Sale Sharks - could see Leicester dumped into the second-tier European Challenge Cup.

It might still happen even if Leicester remain in their current sixth spot.

That would be good enough, but only if Worcester do not qualify instead of them by winning the Challenge Cup final against Bath on May 25.

To remove all doubt, Leicester must beat Quins, therefore guaranteeing at least fifth place.

Missing out on top-flight European competition is an unthinkable possibility for a club that won back-to-back Heineken Cups under current Quins boss Dean Richards' direction in 2001 and 2002.

Quins, though, still have play-off aspirations, knowing success against Leicester and a Sale defeat to Irish might be enough.

Richards said: "It is a young and talented squad who will be making the journey to Welford Road.

"We haven't given up the fourth spot yet, and we are still in with a shout."

Pressure is intensifying on Leicester head coach Marcelo Loffreda, with the rumour mill suggesting Tigers have already approached South African Dick Muir about a Welford Road coaching role next season.

Loffreda said: "Our first goal has to be to bounce back from last Sunday's disappointment at Newcastle and gain the win that would allow us to qualify for the Heineken Cup.

"After that, we can consider what has happened in other games tomorrow and see where we finish in the league table.

"It has been a long season, but we have prepared for this game as well as we possibly can and now the team must be at its best for the final time in the league at Welford Road."

Sale's play-off destiny is in their own hands, and a home win against Irish will take them through in pursuit of a league title they last won two years ago.

Wasps, who only need a point against already-relegated Leeds Carnegie, could book a home semi-final if they claim a bonus-point win and Bath lose at leaders Gloucester.

Play-offs are not on the agenda in Milton Keynes, where Saracens host Bristol, but a sizeable crowd is expected for England World Cup winner Richard Hill's final game before retirement.

Hill, capped 71 times, makes his 288th Saracens appearance, while the club's director of rugby Alan Gaffney also bows out, handing the reins to Australian Eddie Jones next term.

Gaffney said: "Richard is a player I have long admired from a distance, and I consider it a privilege that I have been able to work with such a great over the past two seasons.

"I can't speak highly enough of him as a player and a person, and he deserves all the plaudits he receives after what has been a fantastic career for Saracens, England and the Lions.

"As a group, we want to make sure we end on a high note for him and put in a performance that we can all be proud of to give him the send-off he deserves."

Saracens have reached four semi-finals under Gaffney's direction, and he added: "I would like to think that is not a bad return.

"We have come a long way in that time, but there is still a lot of work to do in terms of our consistency.

"I've really enjoyed my spell at the club and a pleasing aspect is that we have developed our own style of play and it's something the players enjoy."

The other game sees Worcester needing victory over Sixways visitors Newcastle to probably leapfrog the Falcons into 10th place.

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