Tournament gets tougher every time say Tigers

Murphy and Cockerill will lead the Tigers' charge to progress from Pool 4 ahead of ASM Clermont Auvergne, Ulster and Aironi as they look to bounce back from last season's exit prior to the knockout stages.

Both men tasted Heineken Cup glory back in 2001 and 2002 and have also been involved two more finals in the past five years.

But Murphy admits that matching those achievements in the 2011/12 campaign will be an even bigger challenge than ever before.

"It gets tougher every year. The intensity goes up in Europe," said Murphy.

"Teams sign well, get big name players in and keep people focused on the Heineken Cup.

"The Italian sides are a case in point. We've got Aironi in our group this year. I haven't played against them before but, speaking to a lot of boys who play against them in the PRO12, they're really coming on and are a quality side. We start our campaign away there and that will be a tough fixture.

"Ulster have done very well since David Humphreys moved upstairs. They've signed some good guys and they've really been building over the last few years.

"I think they were quite pleased with their performances last season but disappointed when Northampton beat them in the quarters. I think they probably felt they could have won that game and that they made a few mistakes that cost them.

"They've made some good signings again this year and Ravenhill is a very difficult place to go and play. They'll really be targeting the Heineken Cup and will be a side that could cause us problems."

Cockerill spent a season with Clermont back in 2004/05 so knows all about the size of the task posed by the former French Champions but his focus is firmly on the first pool fixture against Aironi.

The Tigers travel to Italy a week a week on Saturday having almost come unstuck at the same stage against Benetton Treviso last term.

And rather than head to the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella looking for a bonus-point success as the uninitiated would suggest, Cockerill insists his team will have to be on their guard to come away with any kind of success at all.

"You underestimate Aironi at your peril," said Cockerill.

"I think you have to go there and worry about winning first. Last year we went to Treviso and scored with a couple of minutes to go to win the game. We'll go there and try and get the win and if it pans out that you can chase five points then we'll certainly try.

"But you've got to be very careful that you don't go out there with the mindset that it will be easy because they've got a huge amount of the national side in their team, some good foreign players and they'll raise their game playing Leicester."