Cockerill is confident ahead of the Tigers' biggest game of the season

Richard Cockerill says the current Leicester Tigers side are better than the one that lost to Bath in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals in 2006.

The clubs return to the Walkers Stadium to face each other again in the same stage of the competition on Saturday.

The acting head coach told BBC Radio Leicester: "We dominated that game and should have won.

"But we're a different side now and probably a better side than we were that year."

A sell-out crowd of around 32,500 saw the Tigers beaten 15-12 by Bath in 2006 and Cockerill knows his side must show them respect.

"Bath are a good side and we have a huge amount of respect for what they are doing but we're a good side too and people should respect what we're doing," Cockerill said.

Although the Tigers will be without the suspended Julian White, number eight Jordan Crane (knee ligaments), centre Seru Rabeni (knee) and back-rower Craig Newby (hamstring) are all fit and available for selection.

You can hear full match commentary of Leicester Tigers v Bath on BBC Radio Leicester on 104.9FM, DAB and online at bbc.co.uk/leicester.

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