Niall Morris: Leicester Tigers want the last Heineken Cup crown

Leicester Tigers full-back Niall Morris says the potential demise of the Heineken Cup will increase the intensity of this season's competition.

The 25-year-old feels the prestige of the tournament has been elevated as English and French clubs plan to quit at the end of the campaign.

Leicester travel to Ulster in their opening game on Friday.

"It is an added incentive for us to win what could be the last one," Morris told BBC East Midlands Today.

"The same would go for every club playing in this year's competition."

Morris, who marked his Heineken Cup debut with a try against Aironi in 2011 after joining the Tigers from Leinster earlier the same year, admits he will be saddened to leave the tournament.

"It is disappointing because it has been a really good competition over the years," he said.

"It's a great competition to watch, supporters love it and players love playing in it."

Leicester prop Dan Cole said that if the Heineken Cup does come to and end, then it offers a once in a lifetime chance for Tigers team-mates to match the back-to-back European triumphs achieved by the club in 2001 and 2002.

The East Midlands club last reached the final in 2009, losing the showpiece event 19-16 to Leinster.

"Look at what Leicester have achieve in the past - winning the European Cup twice makes you part of the real elite," he said.

"We have a responsibility to the past to perform, to try uphold that and at the same time to want to better it."