'Exemplary' Tigers eye play-offs

Leicester Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill praised his side's "exemplary" attitude, after they overcame the sending-off of Seremaia Bai to beat Wasps 26-21 and move closer to the Premiership play-offs.

Victory left Leicester third in the standings, with one round of the regular season remaining.

The top four teams in the table will go through to the play-offs that will determine the champions of England for the 2014/15 season.

But the Tigers, in what is now a Midlands derby with Wasps, founded in London but now based in Coventry, were made to work hard for this away win after Fiji centre Bai was shown a red card towards the end of the first half – after barging into a ruck and catching No.8 Nathan Hughes on the head.   

Leicester, 18-12 up at the break, scored a third try after the interval through Adam Thompstone following first-half efforts from Niall Morris and Vereniki Goneva.

Despite being a man down, they held on for victory.

"Seremaia getting sent off put the cat among the pigeons, and gave them options to get back into the game," Cockerill said.

"But I thought our players' reaction in scoring a try to add to the two in the first half was fantastic.

"The effort and attitude was brilliant. Our attitude across the board, with and without the ball, was exemplary."

Cockerill added Bai's red card was deserved.

"If you drop a shoulder into someone's head, you are going to get sent off. No complaints," he said.

Cockerill said England lock Geoff Parling should be okay for next week despite popping a rib cartilage.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young was delighted with the 32,000 crowd – a Premiership record outside the London venues of Twickenham and Wembley – and had no complaints about the result.

"I'm pleased with the occasion," he said.

"It was fantastic.

"But there are no complaints from me about the result. The best team won."