Leicester Tigers: Vicky Macqueen wants 'statement' Championship play-off win
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Vicky Macqueen was named head of women's rugby at Tigers when the club established its women's and girls' rugby programme in 2021
Leicester Tigers want to "make a statement" by winning the Women's Championship play-off final at Twickenham before moving into the Premier 15s, says boss Vicky Macqueen.
Tigers have already been offered a place in the top flight next season.
They have won all 19 games so far this season, topped the Women's Championship North table and now face Cheltenham in Sunday's end-of-season showdown.
"We have to put the icing on the cake," Macqueen told BBC Radio Leicester.
"We have done the job in terms of the Championship, which I'm really proud about, and now we want to sprinkle that silverware on. We won't feel that the job is complete until we do that.
"We want to go out and make a statement and win it all because we want to be going into the Premiership next season full in the knowledge that we've made sure we have done all we can to get there all off our own back.
"That win at Twickenham will be really important."
Tigers, who founded their women's side less than two years ago, were offered a spot in the top flight of women's rugby by the Rugby Football Union in December after a successful bidding process.
Last season the team played as Lichfield-Leicester Tigers, forging a bond with the former top-flight club from Staffordshire that was ousted from the elite level when the domestic game was revamped in 2017.
In the second division this season, the team of part-time players have dominated under the Tigers banner, with Lichfield now linked to Leicester as a feeder club.
Meet Leicester Tigers' history-making women's team
Tigers have wracked up 866 points in 18 league games, external, which was 333 more than their nearest rivals, and conceded just 79 points.
They beat Championship South runners-up Old Albanians to set up a final against a Cheltenham side that they have beaten twice already this season - 36-0 at home and 26-19 away.
"I'm just really proud of what they have been able to achieve," Macqueen said.
"My aim was absolutely go out and smash it and win it. We did that."
While there is an immediate focus on completing the league and play-off double, Macqueen says work is already being done to prepare the side for the top flight with high-profile additions.
"Absolutely there will be signings to come and very soon we will see some names appearing," she added.
"The girls have created such a great foundation here that we need to make sure that we maintain that foundation and maybe add a sprinkle of stardust as well."