Sale's defeat at home to London Irish sees the Tigers clinch fourth spot and a semi-final clash with table-toppers Gloucester.

The Welford Road outfit had looked likely to spend the post-season watching from the sidelines and the one-time powerhouses of English rugby were even sweating on a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

''My job would have been in question if we hadn't made Europe,'' said Loffreda.

''It has been a very difficult week with all that has been going on with the rumours and press talk.

''(Chief executive) Peter Wheeler's public support has been very important to me and I told him how much I appreciate it.

''While there was hope, you have to keep hoping and we had to be patient. That's what we told the players at half-time.

''Anything can happen in this league because it is always so tight. Nobody would have bet #1 on us today but we are in the play-offs.

''All week everyone has been doubting what I can do and what I am expected to do. I have been in other situations with a lot of pressure but it was different pressure with the Pumas.

''Because of our attacking aims we sometimes made mistakes and were punished for it. We lost some control in the first half but we got it back in the second half.''

Varndell's last-gasp winner capped off a frenetic and entertaining game in which the lead changed hands on numerous occasions.

And Loffreda was quick to praise his two-try hero.

''Tom Varndell was very good and he has been improving over the last few weeks, not only with the ball but without it too,'' he added.

Quins director of rugby and former Leicester chief Dean Richards was left fuming as his side saw their play-off hopes go up in smoke at Welford Road

Quins finish the season in sixth and will have to hope that Bath beat Worcester in the European Shield final to clinch the last place in the Heineken Cup.

Richards said: ''We would love to play Heineken Cup rugby next season but now we will have to wait for a couple of weeks and see what happens. It was probably a season too early for us.

''You always try to improve year on year. We have finished sixth this year, who knows where we will finish next year.

''We should have won the game. We got nothing from the referee who was not on top form. He was not consistent but he is a top-class referee.

''Leicester have plenty of stars in multiple positions but they were not as well organised as us. We played some good stuff and had a lot of young lads in there.''