All Blacks centre Aaron Mauger joined Leicester Tigers in January 2007

Leicester Tigers centre Aaron Mauger says his side are holding up in the absence of head coach Heyneke Meyer.

The South African has returned to his home country on compassionate grounds due to a serious family illness.

"It hasn't really affected us at all," he said. "But the guys are obviously sad for Heyneke having to leave under the circumstances he did.

"The coaching staff have been great. Their attitudes have been really good," Mauger told BBC Radio Leicester.

"Hopefully he can get it all sorted back there and come back here and help out. But, in the meantime, Matt O' Connor and Richard Cockerill have both done a great job."

Mauger reckons the Tigers' Premiership clash with Northampton on Saturday (1700 GMT) will be a huge game.

"We're going to have to go in there with a lot of passion and have our smarts about us," he said.

Forwards coach Cockerill is expected to remain in charge for the rest of January.

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