Bath's Steve Meehan believes his side's collective spirit can propel them to the Premiership title © Getty Images

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Matches: Leicester Tigers 24 - 10 Bath Rugby

Players/Officials: Alex Crockett | Toby Flood | Michael Lipman | Joe Maddock

Tournaments/Tours: Guinness Premiership

Just a week after their extraordinary win over the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup last week, the Leicester Tigers are back in knock-out action on Saturday when they host Bath in the semi-finals of the Guinness Premiership at the Walkers Stadium.

The Head Coach Richard Cockerill has elected to keep changes to a minimum and fourteen of the team that started against the Blues last weekend, retain their places. The man to lose out is the unfortunate fly-half Toby Flood who has been ruled out of the game for six months by an Achilles injury.

England international Flood had surgery this week after rupturing an Achilles in the second half of the dramatic win over the Blues.

In his absence, Sam Vesty moves to fly-half and Aaron Mauger, a replacement last weekend on his return from injury, is named at inside centre. Ayoola Erinle claims a place on a replacements bench which features five senior internationals.

"It is very disappointing to lose Toby just as we have got a number of players back from injury problems," said Cockerill.

"But we've got guys in good form, we've been playing some good rugby and we're ready for another massive challenge this weekend."

For Bath it's an opportunity to win a first domestic trophy for 13 years and Head Coach Steve Meehan believes that his side are in a very good position to halt that drought.

"We are more of a team at the moment because the majority of us have been together for three seasons and have seen Bath change in their style in that time. There is a lot more input from the players, it is broader reaching and I think that gives everyone that sense of belonging."

Meehan's made three changes to the side that beat Saracens 33-18 last week to clinch their play-off spot. The Premiership's top try-scorer Joe Maddock is back on the wing, Alex Crockett comes into the side at outside centre from where he also captains the side in the absence of Michael Lipman who limped off last week. James Scaysbrook starts on the flank in Lipman's place.

The Tigers' involvement in that epic match last week could well have taken it's toll on their players but Meehan is expecting their hosts to be on top of their game and sees another close encounter in the offing.

"When you get to this stage of semi finals, both sides would hope to be in striking distance of a win with 10 minutes to go, so we will see what happens. It could literally go down to the bounce of the ball or the referee's decision.

"This is a great challenge and a great week to be involved. You have to play well to win. The fact that it's Leicester is probably a good thing in many ways and it's a good focus for us. Both teams know each other very well and that recent experience at the Walkers Stadium is going to help us."

Bath saw off Saracens on the final day of the season to clinch fourth spot on the log while Leicester finished well clear of the chasing pack and will be favourites to make the final, to add to their appearance in the Heineken Cup Final against Leinster at Murrayfield.

Leicester Tigers: Murphy (captain); Hamilton, Hipkiss, Mauger, Murphy, Vesty, Dupuy; Ayerza, Chuter, Castrogiovanni, Croft, Kay, Newby, Wood, Crane

Replacements: Kayser, White, Wentzel, Moody, Ellis, Erinle, Smith

Bath: Abendanon; Maddock, Crockett (captain), Hape, Banahan, Davis, Claassens; Flatman, Mears, Bell, Harrison, Short, Beattie, Scaysbrook, Hooper

Replacements: Dixon, Barnes, Ion, Faamatuainu, Bemand, Berne, Higgins