Image source, Getty Images

Freddie Burns can't land the kick though, dragging his attempt across the posts from the right and it's an opportunity squandered.

Tigers look to be in behind Bath here too, as they switch it to the right, but George Ford's superb tackle forces them into touch. It looks like prop Paul James has conceded a penalty at the line-out, however, and the away side are heading for the posts this time...

Steve Johnson
Ex-Tigers captain on BBC Radio Leicester

"Can you believe that with just a minute on the clock? Leicester were all following the ball and didn't spread across the field and left a two-man overlap. That's embarrassing from a Leicester perspective."

Leicester have responded nicely here though, with wing Niki Goneva cutting a tidy line down the left-hand side to pin the home team back. Tigers are into the Bath 22.

Image source, Getty Images

How about that for a start from the Blue, Black and Whites? It's vintage Bath as, following the set-piece, George Ford draws the tackle to release Jonathan Joseph, whose arrowed pass then picks out Matt Banahan on the wing to cross in the corner.

Ford's conversion, from the tightest of angles, is exquisite too and I'd imagine this is just how his father, head coach Mike, would've planned it.

That's an early error from the visitors, however, giving away a penalty following Freddie Burns' second long kick forward. George Ford goes to touch and Bath are on the attack.

Anyway, that's quite enough kit chat. JP Doyle puffs his whistle, Freddie Burns kicks long and we're under way at The Rec.

Or is that Leicester strip orange? We're struggling to decide here in the office. Any ideas?

Here come the two sets of players. Leicester, in bright red, come out to a fairly muted reception. Bath, in their familiar blue, black and white, are roared on.

It looks like we'll be kicking off a couple of minutes late.

Alexander Harris:, external Leicester by 7

Jon Buckland:, external Bath to win (please).

Small Man Peaky:, external Bath to win by a score. Leicester lucky to make playoffs and been erratic all season. Joseph, Louw and Ford point of difference

BBC Sport

As well as following our text feed, you can also listen to live radio commentary from both BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Leicester on this evening's match at The Rec.

Just click the 'Live Coverage' tab at the top of this page to pick which tones you'd prefer to listen to.

Image source, Getty Images

Following the flurry of fond farewells this time last week, with Sale winger Mark Cueto and London Welsh centre Tom May both bringing their playing careers to an end, we could have another one on our hands today.

At the ripe old age of 40, New Zealand World Cup winner Brad Thorn is in the Leicester Tigers side this afternoon - but is very much hoping to postpone his retirement by another 80 minutes.

"I feel so lucky and blessed but it would be great to push on for one more game and play at Twickenham," he told BBC East Midlands today. "It's a special place to play."

You can read more from Thorn in this rather nicely crafted feature by our very own Owen Phillips.

Image source, Getty Images

The Blue, Black and Whites need to be "mad for it" when they take on Leicester Tigers this afternoon, according to fly-half George Ford.

Ford is one of eight Bath players to be named in England's 50-man training squad for this year's World Cup - and each one of them will be hoping this won't turn out to be their last competitive action before the tournament kicks off on 18 September.

"These are the games you want to play in as a team and as individuals, and we're just looking forward to it," Ford told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Leicester are going to come here mad for it - and we've just got to be mad for it ourselves."

Image source, Getty Images

That 45-0 drubbing - and Tigers fans, I promise I'll try not to mention it again - was just one part of a pretty scratchy start to the season for Richard Cockerill's Leicester.

But don't they always just come roaring back when it really matters?

"I have always said it was about where we sit after round 22 - and we sit third," Cockerill told BBC East Midlands Today. "It doesn't matter where you are halfway through the season and you are sat in seventh or eighth and everybody has already made their mind up that it is a disaster.

"It's the end of the season that counts. We are the form team in the league in 2015, so there is some satisfaction in that."

It's not going to be an easy task following that first semi-final, is it? But who do you think will come out on top at The Rec - will it be Bath's day or Leicester's day?

Tell us what you think using #bbcrugby on Twitter.

Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Eastmond, Banahan; Ford, Stringer; James, Batty, Wilson, Hooper (capt), Attwood, Burgess, Louw, Houston.

Replacements: Webber, Auterac, Thomas, Day, Garvey, Fearns, Cook, Devoto.

Leicester: Morris; Thompstone, Tait, Loamanu, Goneva; Burns, Ben Youngs (capt); Ayerza, Tom Youngs, Cole, Thorn, Kitchener, Slater, Salvi, Crane.

Replacements: Briggs, Rizzo, Balmain, De Chaves, Gibson, Harrison, Bell, Catchpole.

Image source, Getty Images

How are we lining up then?

England centre Jonathan Joseph returns for Bath, who beat West Country rivals Gloucester on the final day of the regular season last week.

Head coach Mike Ford has also recalled captain Stuart Hooper, while Ross Batty comes back in at hooker.

Leicester Tigers make just one change from the side that earned an 11th successive appearance in the Premiership semi-finals by beating Northampton Saints.

Marcos Ayerza returns to the starting line-up at loose-head prop in place of the injured Logovi'i Mulipola.

Leicester Tigers on Twitter:, external Ready to go!

Image source, @LeicesterTigers

Image source, Getty Images

And, speaking of previous encounters, if you're in Leicester's camp there is one that certainly does stick out like a very sore thumb from the rest.

Back in September, Bath ran out 45-0 winners against Richard Cockerill's side at The Rec, the heaviest top-flight defeat ever inflicted upon Tigers.

"It was not good," Lock Graham Kitchener told BBC East Midlands Today. "I tried to wipe it from my mind.

"For the boys who played in it was a bit of a turning point. We thought we can't go back to that. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong that day. It was bit of freak result."

Having first faced one another on Saturday, 13 September 1913, the century old rivalry shared between Bath and Leicester Tigers is one of the most famous in domestic rugby union.

A derby in every way apart from location, the two sides have played 26 times in the Premiership, with Tigers having won 16 and Bath only nine.

Mike Ford's side have, at least, come out on top in each of their last four meetings at The Rec though, so maybe the omens aren't all bad for tonight's hosts.