Ed Slater Cup 'important' for Leicester to win says boss Michael Cheika

Leicester head coach Michael Cheika says reclaiming the Ed Slater Cup from Gloucester will feel like bringing the popular former player home with them again.

Sunday will be the fifth time the two clubs have played for the piece of silverware, which is named after the former Cherry and Whites and Tigers player who retired in 2022 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease [MND].

Leicester won the first three Premiership battles for the cup, but Gloucester hold it after overcoming Tigers in their last meeting in March.

For Cheika, Sunday's match at Mattioli Woods Welford Road will be the Australian's first involvement in a fixture of huge emotional significance.

"We donâ€TMt have that cup, which means we have to bring our player, bring Ed back to us," Cheika told BBC Radio Leicester.

"I've never met Ed, but I can see when we have talked about it and discussed it during the week that it is an important thing for the lads here.

"When it has that little bit of extra meaning and our ability to have that emotion and control that emotion in the game will be really important."