Having missed out on silverware – domestic or European – for the first time since 1998, Tigers’ Heineken Cup hopes now rest entirely on them winning the inaugural Zurich Premiership wild card play-offs.

They face semi-final opponents Harlequins in home and away legs over the next week, with Leeds and Saracens also chasing a May 31 final place, probably at Twickenham.

Leicester’s 31-13 defeat by Premiership top-dogs Gloucester was their 10th league defeat of the season, underlining a considerable slump.

Richards now has to pick up his players for Wednesday’s first leg at The Stoop, where Quins will be in buoyant mood following a superb 25-21 victory at high-flying Wasps.

“The wild card play-offs are going to be very important for us,” said Richards.

“There is a lot riding on it for us, and with the amount of injuries we’ve got, then we can’t be too confident about playing Harlequins.

“Quins are a good side, and it will be a hard game, but it will be hard to take if we do not get into the Heineken Cup. We will endeavour to make sure we do get in.”

Leicester had no answer against a rampant Gloucester side that finished the regular season 15 points clear of second-placed Wasps, and are now firm favourites to win the title play-off final later this month.

Thinus Delport, Tom Beim, Andy Gomarsall and Terry Fanolua scored Gloucester’s tries, with fly-half Ludovic Mercier kicking 11 points on his final Kingsholm appearance before joining French club Grenoble next term.

Quins secured a wild card spot by denying Wasps a 12th successive victory as tries from wing Ugo Monye (two) and scrum-half Matt Powell saw them home.

“I am very disappointed, but we must not take anything away from the opposition. They were committed, and hassled and harried us,” said Wasps skipper Lawrence Dallaglio.

“We dropped off our level of performance, and we have to put it out of our minds, but we have finished second in the league and we are still in the hunt for two major trophies.”

If Wasps, who have already qualified for next season’s Heineken Cup, beat Bath in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final on May 25, then wild card candidates Leeds will clinch a European place.

Even if Leeds beat wild card semi-final opponents Saracens, then they would drop out of the final – which has a Heineken Cup place as its prize – with Saracens progressing as a lucky loser.

But a Bath victory in the Parker Pen final would leave Leeds requiring wild card success to secure Heineken Cup status.

Saracens wound up their Premiership campaign with a superb 34-19 victory over Sale, putting Sharks out of the title play-off picture and meaning at least another two appearances for retiring international imports Tim Horan and Abdel Benazzi.

“I had a nice fax from John Eales (former Australian Test captain) saying ‘good luck for your last game’. I’ll have to get him to send another one now,” said Horan.

Saracens coach Wayne Shelford added: “The team knew they were under pressure, and they went out and decided to play some football.

“Now, we have the opportunity to go through the back door in the wildcard play-offs, and if the guys play as well as they did against Sale, then we’ve got a real chance.”

Sharks saw their anticipated title play-off place go to Northampton, and coach Jim Mallinder admitted: “We are very disappointed. If we wanted to finish in the top three, then we had to beat Saracens.

“Last year, we had an easier run-in and showed consistent form, and that breeds confidence. This year, we got to second place, and it seemed to fall away.”

England’s Heineken Cup qualifiers for next season: Gloucester, Wasps, Northampton, Sale, plus two of Leeds, Leicester, Harlequins, Saracens or Bath.