Leicester Tigers exited their second cup competition in two weeks as their chances of LV= Cup glory bit the dust.

Unlike their European exit in Wales, however, the only 16th man on show this time was the Franklin's Gardens faithful.

Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill did not seem too upset to see the end of the club's Anglo Welsh hopes after this 23-11 defeat by Northampton.

From the start, he said the competition would be viewed as a "development tool". And who could blame him?

A tournament structured inside the Six Nations window saw him robbed of players representing England, Italy, Ireland A and England Saxons.

Even England Under-20s has first choice on his players as lock-forward Calum Green lost the chance for what would have been an almost-certain start on Saturday afternoon.

Tigers needed to better whatever Saracens did at home to Newport yesterday to win LV Cup Pool One.

With 13 players injured or unavailable, Cockerill decided to bite the bullet and rest six others he could have picked, knowing it would be a tall order to achieve what they needed against a Northampton side missing few of their stars.

Could Jordan Crane, Scott Hamilton, Mefin Davies and Lote Tuqiri have made a difference to the result? Maybe.

Could they have stopped Saracens edging through to the semi-finals with a bonus point from their 23-22 defeat against Newport-Gwent Dragons yesterday? No.

Being in just one of three competitions at the start of February may well be a strange and sobering place for Cockerill, his players and Leicester fans to find themselves.

But they are now in great shape for their attempts to regain their Guinness Premiership crown.

Aside from those missing to international duty, only Richard Blaze is on the long-term injury list. Cockerill will have strong options when he picks a side for the return to league action at Leeds next Sunday.

Lucas Amorosino, Billy Twelvetrees and Julian White looked good at Franklin's Gardens, while Sam Vesty, Matt Smith, Aaron Mauger and Ben Woods all got another game under their belts on returns from injury.

Amorosino was outstanding and showed the sort of game-breaking qualities that Tigers have struggled to find this season.

His best moment came in a strange first half.

Tigers dominated it in terms of territory and possession but went into the break 14-8 down.

Saints had two meaningful attacks and scored tries with both of them.

Their opener came after just 90 seconds when Paul Diggin took a slick pass against the grain from Stephen Myler, raced through a huge hole in midfield and dived over. Myler converted to make it 7-0.

Scrum-half Alan Dickens scored the home side's second try midway through the half.

A sweeping move ended with Dickens applying the finishing touch and Myler converted from the touchline.

Aside from that, Tigers were excellent. With good continuity and ambition, they spent plenty of time in the Saints' 22 but could find the finishing touch on only one occasion, and that came from their own 22. Taking a high up-and-under, Amorosino sprinted off into a tight gap, jinked his way through a retreating midfield and drew the last man before giving Billy Twelvetrees the chance to run in the final 20 metres.

It was something out of nothing and typified an electric first half from both men who looked dangerous every time they touched the ball.

Aside from that, Tigers were playing flat and aggressively with Sam Vesty and Aaron Mauger at the heart of their good work. Amorosino went close on a couple more occasions and Alesana Tuilagi should have scored but knocked on five metres short after a clever kick through.

But, with the Saints getting through plenty of work in defence, Tigers somehow went in to the break 14-8 down. That became 17-8 three minutes after the re-start with a Myler penalty and it needed a huge tackle from Mauger in midfield to disrupt a dangerous Saints move soon after, Tigers winning a penalty as the move broke down.

Myler made it 20-8 on 52 minutes but, after a good spell of concerted pressure, Tigers won a penalty at close quarters and Twelvetrees chipped it over.

The welcome sign of Geordan Murphy returning to the pitch for the first time in more than four months gave Tigers fans cause for optimism as the game entered the last quarter.

But it offered only more frustration and followed a similar pattern to the rest of the game.

Tigers made useful encroachments into the Saints half but penalties killed them when they threatened most.

Referee Dave Pearson went to his whistle for holding-on penalties and, on one occasion, with Saints players all over the ball on their knees, Tigers were penalised for going off their feet just 10 metres short with ball in hand.

Clinical Northampton had the final say when substitute Barry Everitt kicked a last-minute penalty. While Leicester could not make the most of vast swathes of possession, the Saints picked up points almost every time they entered the Tigers half.

It earned them a home semi-final as they continue to chase glory on three fronts.

For Tigers, three has quickly become one and no distractions stand in their way.