And after losing twice in the final to London Wasps and Leinster in recent seasons – Hipkiss plans to end that sequence this season.

“Guys like Geordan, Harry and Lewis have all won the Heineken Cup, but it's slipped away from the rest of us,” said Hipkiss, ahead of Leicester’s Sunday clash with Clermont Auvergne.

"I went to see the boys play the final in Cardiff against Munster (in 2002) and I remember watching the one in Paris (2001) on television.

"Geordie and the others don't bang on about it every day, but you do want to try and win one before you finish – and I'm not getting any younger.”

Elsewhere, Sharks director of rugby Kingsley Jones has called on his squad to hammer the final nail into Harlequins’ Heineken Cup campaign.

Quins are on the verge of a premature exit this season after losing their opening two games, while Sale need a win to keep their revival going after a narrow 27-26 victory over Cardiff last time out.