There will be spies in both camps when Leicester Tigers travel to bitter enemies Wasps tomorrow for an eagerly-awaited Guinness Premiership clash.

Former Tigers winger Tom Varndell will be telling the men in black all they need to know about his old club.

And former Wasps fly-half Jeremy Staunton will be doing the same thing in the Leicester dressing room.

Tigers centre Matt Smith says Staunton has confirmed what everyone at Welford Road had always suspected.

"Jez has told us that Wasps dislike Leicester as much as Leicester dislike Wasps," he said.

"A few years of being the top two clubs in England has led to that rivalry being there. Lots of things make the rivalry so fierce.

"We have played them in lots of finals and they have seemed to have the edge in those finals.

"Tom Varndell has gone there and I haven't seen him since we caught up in America during the summer.

"They have made some good signings in David Lemi, Tom and Dan Ward-Smith and they have all made an impact.''

There will be always plenty on the line whenever these two giants of the professional era meet.

The history of Martin Corry v Lawrence Dallaglio and Andy Goode v Danny Cipriani are a given.

But this time, it's fourth versus fifth and whoever wins will take a major step towards the playoffs.

For Smith, who misses out, it has been an irritating year with niggling injuries disrupting his progress.

Even more so after making the breakthrough last season when he made 31 appearances for the club. "It's been a bit of a frustrating year so far. I have had a problem with my back and I have a hernia as well," said Smith, who has been restricted to six appearances this season.

"It's about finding a window for that operation and it has taken a lot longer than I thought to get back to fitness.

"The physios think it's a bit of backlash from the amount of games I was playing last year.

"It was quite successful and I played so many games.

"This season I have been in and out, and with so many good players at the club it is hard to get back into the team.

"That is just something you have to learn to deal with at a big club like Leicester.

"Lots of players are back from injury and you have to train hard and take your opportunity when you get it.

"Matt O'Connor (backs coach) was saying this week that we haven't yet put in a full 80-minute performance this season. Hopefully, tomorrow at Wasps would be a good place to put that right."