Leicester club captain Martin Corry brings the curtain down on a glittering club career after this Saturday’s Heineken Cup Final, and the Tigers hero is determined to finish with a win.
The back row star has spent 12 years with the East Midlands outfit, winning six English League titles and two Heineken Cups during his time at Welford Road.
Unfortunately for the 35-year-old ex-England skipper, his body has now begun to give up on him, meaning he has been forced into announcing his retirement at the end of the current campaign.
As a result, Corry may or may not be involved in Saturday’s matchday squad for the Murrayfield showdown with Leinster but he is still just as desperate as ever to ensure the Tigers are crowned Champions of Europe once again.
“It’s such a great competition,” said Corry, who started both Tiger’s previous Heineken Cup Final triumphs in 2001 and 2002.
“When you look at how you’re doing, you always judge yourself on the Heineken Cup.
“We’ve always seemed to end up in tough pools so to come out of those is something we’re always very proud of.
“We’re doing everything we can as we’re desperate to win it. We need to win it and then we can start reflecting on what a great campaign it’s been. To fall at the last hurdle means we’ve still fallen short.”
Claiming Europe’s most-prized trophy would cap a remarkable turnaround for Corry and his Tigers team-mates following an indifferent and unsatisfying start to the season.
Having seen their head coach Heyneke Meyer return to South Africa mid-campaign, the Tigers have since developed a hugely-entertaining brand of rugby that has helped them to climb from seventh place in the Guinness Premiership to become English Champions thanks to victory over London Irish at Twickenham last weekend.
“It’s a very exciting time for the club,” added Corry, who came within 80 minutes of leading Leicester to Heineken Cup glory two years ago.
“The lads are playing well and, with how their form has been over the last couple of months, I think they’re getting what they truly deserve.
“The style of rugby and the endeavour the lads are showing on the field is really good. It’s all very well having the endeavour but you need to have the execution as well. Those two have married up very nicely and that’s the important factor.
“If you’re going to change your outlook on the game and the way you’re looking to play, you want to do that from a winning base, otherwise you can revert back to type. The lads have tried to change but they’ve done that whilst still winning. That makes any change easier.
“We’ve got good coaches, good players and a good environment and, thankfully, it’s working for us.”
Ask any Leicester player or supporter how important Martin Corry is to the club as a whole and you’ll more than likely be told that he epitomises everything good about the Tigers. Ask Corry himself and he’ll give you a far more modest and understated answer.
For Corry, Saturday’s final is not about his personal achievements in anyway shape or form. Just like every other game in his career, the 2009 Heineken Cup Final is all about doing Leicester proud.
“My role with the club is that I’ll do whatever I can do. If that’s on the field, then great; if it’s off the field, then I’ll do whatever I can do. If I can be a help somewhere along the way, then I’ll try and do that.
“You want all your moments that you look back on to be positive and put a smile on your face. Hopefully this one can do just that.”
