Emotional

He doesn't know whether he will be in the starting line-up yet, but he's sure to get some game time having established himself at Welford Road with the English giants.

Just two months ago he was playing for Newport, unable to win a regional contract and going nowhere fast.

Then out of the blue Leicester came in for him, hit by the absence of Dorian West at the World Cup and another hooker going down with a broken leg.

Richards eagerly took up the opportunity and soon displaced remaining hooker George Chuter to break into the senior side.

Now he is pinching himself to see if it's real as he trains alongside England World Cup heroes Martin Johnson, Ben Kay and Neil Back.

Not only that, but he is preparing for Sunday's Heineken Cup game against none other than Newport Gwent Dragons.

"I don't know if I'm playing yet, but it'll be emotional and we're expecting a confrontational game," said Richards.

"I enjoyed my time at Newport immensely and I've got a lot of friends there so it's going to be quite emotional, but I don't expect any favours.

"It'll give it a bit of an edge and they'll be full of confidence after winning their first match which has thrown a spanner in the works."

Leicester are having an unusually poor season and are lying just two places off the bottom of the Zurich Premiership having dominated it - and they also lost their first Heineken Cup game against a powerful Stade Francais side.

But Leicester's World Cup players are all returning now, and they promise to be a far different proposition.

"We were disappointed to lose our first game, but can take comfort from the fact that it was away against a good side," said Richards.

"But we're fully aware of what we've got to do. You've got to win your home games and we've got to win on Sunday."

Things have worked out so well for Richards at Leicester that he has now played against Wasps, Sale, Bath, Rotherham and Stade Francais.

Consequently, his initial three-months loan period has been extended to the rest of the season.

He is full of praise for Leicester, the set-up there and the attitude of the big names in the club.

"I've come from a situation where there was a lot of uncertainty to have an opportunity to be part of something that brings the best out of you," he said.

"The infrastructure is really impressive, the training and coaching set-up is quality and the facilities are the best I've encountered, no disrespect to Newport," he said.

"Having guys back from the World Cup, it's taking time getting back in the groove.

"But it says a lot about the the kind of blokes they are that after Monday's victory parade with nearly a million people watching them they came straight in next day and got on with it.

"There was a bit of banter but then it was out on the paddock with everyone looking towards Sunday.

"A lot would take two months off after what they achieved, but it was back to the day job straightaway which sums up their work ethic.

"When the World Cup players are here you just get on with it in training. If I did stop to think about who they were it might be different, but that doesn't happen because the day is so structured."

Richards does, however, single out one individual at Leicester - coach and former England ace Dean Richards.

"He is a legend in the game and to have someone of his stature rubs off on you," he said.

"There are quite a few coaches here, they know what they want and you know your jobs, they simplify things for the players."

But Richards says there is not a great deal of difference playing in England.

"It's not a big step-up from Wales, probably a bit quicker, and a lot of teams beat everyone else," he said.

"But if you make one mistake it gets heavily punished, that wouldn't happen in Wales, though the Celtic League is creating something more competitive."

The first batch of 5,000 tickets that were put on public sale for the ninth Heineken Cup final at Twickenham on Sunday, May 26 have sold out.

Tournament organisers ERC were told by ticket agents Ticketmaster that all 5,000 went before a ball was kicked in this season's competition last Friday night.

And ERC Chief Executive Derek McGrath revealed: "Because of the demand we will be putting another 5,000 on public sale immediately.

"The Heineken Cup final might be five months away, but such is the profile of the tournament, and rugby union as a whole in the northern hemisphere in the wake of England's World Cup triumph