Graphic: Four matches to decide day of destiny

There has not been, it is fair to say, a climax to the regular Guinness Premiership season like it. You could talk about Epi Taione returning to Harlequins for his third stint of Premiership service, about South Africa retaining the services of Dick Muir, who had been linked with a move to Leicester, about Richard Hill’s final farewell to the domestic game in the unlikely surroundings of Milton Keynes, but all is eclipsed by the consequences of today’s 22nd and last round of matches.

Even the players themselves must put on hold their hopes of a place in England’s tour party to New Zealand, due to be confirmed on Tuesday. Club service comes first as six teams attempt to confirm their places in the Premiership play-offs while seven retain hopes of qualifying for next season’s Heineken Cup, which, by their own admission, is all that concerns Leicester at the moment.

Gloucester and Bath, of course, challenge each other for top spot at Kingsholm, with Bath sweating freely after administrative errors that cost them a fine yesterday from the board of England Rugby Ltd. Although no details of either the offence or the amount of the penalty have been announced, it is understood that the renewal of a work permit for Butch James, the South Africa fly half, was not carried out in time and that he was unregistered for last weekend’s game at home to Saracens.

The club can appeal but will be grateful that they have not been docked league points at the end of a season on which so much hangs on small margins. Leicester know all about that: they are scrabbling around mid-table in a manner that has not happened since the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, which ultimately cost Dean Richards his job as director of rugby at Welford Road.

How ironic, therefore, that Richards, who confirmed yesterday the signing of the Tonga international, Taione (once of Newcastle Falcons and Sale Sharks), takes his Harlequins team to his old hunting ground this afternoon to see if they can twist the tigers’ tail. Neil Back, Leicester’s former flanker who is now their tactical analyst, has the statistics at his fingertips. “We are normally pushing for a home play-off, now we are relying on London Irish to beat Sale by eight points or more and us to win if we are even to make the play-offs,” he said.

“We’re not a bad squad, we have extremely good players, but times are not always going to be fantastic. It’s how you deal with those times that’s important and we have to show on Saturday what the club means to us. I’m expecting us to win and win well but even if we do, it will not have been a good year for Leicester. We could have won at Newcastle last weekend but, if we had, it would have papered over some cracks that we as a squad and a coaching team have to work through.”

It does not help the club’s image that, after this season, they will lose their main sponsor of the past six years, Bradstone, the building and landscaping company. It is clear that Richard Cockerill, Back and Marcelo Loffreda, the head coach, need more time to develop, although Muir’s acceptance of a place as assistant coach to the Springboks, alongside the former London Irish head coach, Gary Gold, means that he can be crossed off as a potential backs coach.

Before Martin Johnson, England’s team manager, finalises his touring squad he had time to pay a tribute to another World Cup gold medal-winner, Hill, whose last game in Saracens colours will be against Bristol at Milton Keynes. “He was the most consistent player I ever played with,” Johnson said, “but if you say that, people imagine a guy who was very steady. Richard was a guy who was performing at a world level quicker than anyone else and he continued at that level for his entire career.” Ireland have announced a 37-strong squad for the game on May 27 against the Barbarians at Gloucester, from which seven will be cut before next month’s tour for internationals against New Zealand and Australia. The seven include Bob Casey, the London Irish captain, and Mike Ross, the Harlequins prop, who must be content with playing for Ireland A in the Churchill Cup.

What the teams must do to qualify for play-offs and Europe

—Seven clubs retain an interest in either the Guinness Premiership play-offs or European qualification - an unprecedented situation. Only Gloucester and Bath are assured of a top-four finish and a place in the play-offs semi-finals on May 18. They play each other at Kingsholm and a draw would produce a home tie for both West Country clubs.

—A win for Gloucester guarantees top spot at the end of the regular season, which they achieved last season, when they lost to Leicester in the grand final. Lose and they are still sure of second place because London Wasps cannot overtake them.

—Only a win for Bath will put them top of the table.

—Wasps cannot leapfrog Gloucester because even if they beat Leeds Carnegie and Gloucester lose, Wasps have won fewer matches. But if they win with a bonus point and Bath lose without any points, the London side will secure a home play-off.

—Were Sale Sharks to beat London Irish and gain a bonus point - and Bath lose with no points and Wasps also lose - they could finish the regular season in second spot. It is unlikely, but a play-offs place awaits if they win.

—If Sale lose, Harlequins and Leicester could edge them out, but Leicester are focused only on beating Harlequins and qualifying for the 2008-09 Heineken Cup. If they lose without gaining a point and London Irish win at Edgeley Park with a bonus, Leicester will be shoved out of the sixth and last European position.

Ireland squad (v Barbarians and tour to Australasia): Backs: G Dempsey (Leinster), G Murphy (Leicester), T Bowe (Ulster), I Dowling (Munster), *J Sexton (Leinster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), S Horgan (Leinster), R Kearney (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), G Duffy (Connacht), R O'Gara (Munster), P Wallace (Ulster), I Boss (Ulster), E Reddan (London Wasps), P Stringer (Munster). Forwards: T Buckley (Munster), *T Court (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), M Horan (Munster), *M Ross (Harlequins), B Young (Ulster), R Best (Ulster), J Flannery (Munster), B Jackman (Leinster), *R Casey (London Irish), *R Caldwell (Ulster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), *N Best (Ulster), *S Ferris (Ulster), J Heaslip (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), A Quinlan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster). *denotes Barbarians game only