Eurosport rugby expert Neil Back pays tribute to fellow World Cup winner Richard Hill ahead of a make-or-break weekend for Leicester.

Leicester face a season-defining game against Harlequins on Saturday, but before I look ahead to that challenge I want to say a few words about my old England team-mate Richard Hill, who retires this week.

Quite simply, Hilly was one of the very best back rowers to play the game - and I don't say that lightly. He could play any position in the back row to a very high standard, and not too many players who have been able to do that.

Some can play six and seven, or six and eight, but very few have been able to play six, seven and eight, all equally well.

Hilly's performance in Saracens' Heineken Cup win over the Ospreys last month very much sums up the man. He is no longer physically able to play to the standard he once did - due to his knee injuries - but he still made sure that he played that game to the very best of his ability.

He still managed to give 100 per cent and very much deserved his man of the match performance - and against a team that were strong favourites!

This has been the key to Hilly's brilliance; his consistency and desire to be the very best he could be.

Hilly's influence on England was huge and when he was absent we certainly felt it. In the huddle before each game it was a boost for everyone to see him there; you just knew he was going to produce another superb performance.

Hilly often moaned that more was written about Lawrence Dallaglio or myself but I know this was not the case. Hilly is a very humble guy, happy to be in the background, but his performances were always recognised by his team-mates.

Before each game for England, Hilly, Lol and I would warm up together. We would do several laps of the pitch, prowling and marking out our territory, focusing on the areas we wanted to play in.

This routine helped us bond and gel as a unit and made us very at ease with each other. We were called the Holy Trinity and we shared some very special times together. We are all fairly different characters, but they say opposites attract and I think that was very much the case with us.

All I can say is that it was a great privilege playing alongside Hilly. The curtain will soon come down on one of the finest rugby careers of all.

Now to Leicester's challenge on Saturday. Quite simply, we have to beat Harlequins in order to secure a spot in next season's Heineken Cup.

And if we win and London Irish beat Sale by more than eight points then we will also make the play-offs. But that bit is out of our hands so we are just focusing on beating a very strong Quins side.

It will be a very long summer if we lose. It's a must win game that will define this squad and us as a group of coaches. Despite the recent difficulties we've had, we know we have the ability to be a very good team and we need to prove this in front of our fans.

Deano returning to Welford Road will also add a little spice to what should be a very exciting occasion!

I'm a firm believer that you make your own luck but we just have not been able to do that this season. We've lost too many games that we would have nicked in the past.

It has been a learning curve this season, but the confidence is there and we now have to justify it.

Eurosport