Rate it!

1 votes

Leicester's acting boss Richard Cockerill insists "world-class" match-winner Julien Dupuy will not be leaving Welford Road this summer despite the Frenchman's desire for a return to his homeland.

Cockerill has rejected all expressions of interest from French clubs looking to buy the scrum-half out of his Leicester contract, which has one year left to run.

Dupuy (pictured), who joined the Tigers from Biarritz, had been angling for a summer move in order to be closer to his "unsettled" girlfriend.

But his decisive intervention in Saturday's 20-15 victory over Bath that booked Leicester a Heineken Cup semi-final appointment with Cardiff proved why the Tigers cannot afford to lose him.

"There have been a few approaches but it is a non-starter because we are a big club," said Cockerill.

"Why would you let a player of his quality leave? You don't. He is playing really well for us and we will do everything to keep him here.

"Julien is happy with the rugby here. You don't get guys playing like that if they are sulking. It is just that he has family and private issues.

"His girlfriend is back in France and, if all things were equal, he would like to go back there.

"But we have had some very amicable conversations and we will make it as easy as possible for him to come and go - but he will be here next year."

Dupuy had already upped the intensity after replacing Harry Ellis when, with less than 50 seconds remaining and the scores tied at 15-15, he spun through the Bath defence and left Andrew Higgins standing to score under the posts.

There was no time even for Bath to restart the game and Leicester, having twice trailed in the match, had booked a semi-final trip to the Millennium Stadium.

"Dupuy has got that instinct in the way he plays around the breakdown," explained Cockerill.

"You can't coach that. (Backs coach) Matt O'Connor has worked with George Gregan and several very good scrum-halves in world rugby and he rates Dupuy as the best bar none in the way he plays around the breakdown - running, dummying and playing defences. Better than Gregan is a pretty strong compliment."

Leicester saw an early 6-0 lead scratched out when Bath finally ignited a desperate first half with a clinical first-phase move finished by Shaun Berne after an incisive run from Shontayne Hape.

Sam Vesty, switched to fly-half just an hour before kick-off after Toby Flood failed a fitness test, booted two more penalties as the Tigers nudged ahead.

Geordan Murphy then saw his drop-out charged down by Lee Mears and Bath took full advantage to put Joe Maddock over in the corner and reclaim the lead.

But the Tigers refused to roll over and Vesty landed a fifth penalty to draw the scores level at 15-15 before Dupuy struck in the last minute.

Cockerill was relieved to be facing Cardiff on the first weekend in May rather than French giants Toulouse, who were beaten 9-6 by the Blues yesterday.

Nevertheless, Cockerill was swift to remind his players Cardiff are unbeaten in Europe this year and beat the Tigers en route to the EDF Energy Cup final.

"Of the two, you would probably choose to go to Cardiff," he said.

"I have played in France, and Toulouse is a very difficult place to go to. Equally, we have been to Cardiff this season in the EDF and were beaten quite convincingly.

"We will treat them with full respect. They are a good side and they are doing some good things under Dai Young, who I know well and he is a good man."

Bath's impressive season has hit a sticky patch and their focus now is on the battle for a place in the Guinness Premiership semi-finals.

Boss Steve Meehan said: "We need to draw the positives because we did play well. If we can duplicate that performance over the next couple of weeks then we will be in the Premiership semi-finals."

SportingLife / Eurosport