Tigers target a sixth final

And that clash could see the introduction of another world class name to the tournament's roll of honour - former Australian dual international Lote Tuqiri having joined the Tigers' squad last month.

While Tuqiri is new to the Heineken Cup the Tigers are old hands in the competition, having won two of the five finals they have contested, although Hipkiss is still waiting for a winner's medal after being on the losing side in 2007 and earlier this year.

"The Heineken Cup is the one that everyone wants to win, particularly the guys in this squad," said the England centre. We feel disappointed about losing the finals in 2007 and last season and we want to try and get back there and win it this time. It's easy to say that but it does give you a little bit of extra motivation. It's good that we're getting into the position to win it - and that's credit to the side - but we have to take the final step.

"There's a huge amount of money knocking around in France and their squads are stronger than most but we'll play with what we've got here and try to make the most of it. Clermont are a very good side but anyone can win the group. There are some huge games coming up - and that's the way it should be.

"And there certainly is the incentive to go one further this year. I've played two Heineken Cup finals and lost them both. Guys like Geordan Murphy, Harry Ellis and Lewis Moody have all won the Heineken Cup but it's slipped away from the rest of us.

"We performed pretty well last year but we came up a little bit short in the final and that really was as gutting as you can get on a rugby pitch. I went to see the final in Cardiff against Munster and I remember watching the one in Paris on TV. Geordie and the others don't bang on about it every day but you do want to try and win one before you finish - and I'm not getting any younger. I'm going to run out of chances some day so I've got to take one eventually.

"I'm really enjoying training and the style of rugby we're trying to play here, as it is a style you really want to be involved in, and it is nice to have a bit of continuity. When Pat Howard was here, we had three years with him and in the third year played pretty well, got to three finals and won two of them.

"It's nice to have that consistency and see that continuity coming through. I think that will make quite a big difference and, in my opinion, I think we are probably further ahead now than we were at this time last year."

And with the capacity at a revamped Welford Road now set at 24,000, there could also be the lure of playing any home quarter-final on their own patch.

"It's great that we could possibly come here to Welford Road for a quarter-final," said Hipkiss.

"In the biggest games, you want to be at home and although it was a good experience playing at the Walkers, it would be even better playing here at Welford Road.

"It would be nice to be in the same changing rooms and to run out through the crowd - there's no better feeling than that."