RUGBY gladiator Lawrence Bruno Nero Dallaglio marched into the rugby sunset with his chest pounding proudly, a tear in his eye and another winners' medal tucked behind his shield.
The 35-year-old England and Wasps phenomenon received the perfect retirement present as his club retained their crown at an emotion-filled Twickenham.
Old granite jaw - one of this country's finest sportsmen - was clapped and cheered off the field 13 minutes from the end of a pulsating and passionate affair.
Tries from flanker Tom Rees and wing Josh Lewsey made
Dallaglio's 339th game for Wasps a truly magical occasion as they claimed the Guinness Premiership title.
World Cup winner Dallaglio - 18 years with the club man and boy who won the World Cup and 85 England caps - played his own special role in front of 81,600 fans, the biggest crowd ever to watch a club game.
Dallaglio said: "I'm so thrilled it has ended like this. I have no regrets about packing up. It is the right time to go. This is one of the greatest achievements for this club. Today was about Wasps and I didn't want to detract from that.
"We've got heart and soul here.
We knew it would be tough but everyone performed heroically." Wasps coach Shaun Edwards added: "He's going to be difficult to replace. It was a fitting way for him to end his career. He brought that winning and hate losing mentality to the club." Tigers failed to turn up for the first 40 minutes and were 23-6 behind at the break.
Mark van Gisbergen and Andy Goode exchanged penalty blows before Rees bulldozed his way over the Tigers line.
A Goode penalty reduced the deficit but
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Van Gisbergen's third penalty was followed by a second try with Lewsey racing over unchallenged.
Tigers came out growling after the break and only Paul Sackey's late intervention denied Harry Ellis a try.
But Goode's high kick was tipped back by Geordan Murphy for Tom Varndell to score.
Wasps were rattled when Ellis's piece of individual skill saw him score a second try and reduce the lead to seven points.
After Dallaglio was removed from the battlefield to a standing ovation from both sets of supporters, a Van Gisbergen penalty released some of the tension.
Tigers coach Marcelo Loffreda is now trying to hang on to his job and the Argentine said: "It was the worst possible start. I don't know what went wrong but we could not get going. It's very disappointing." Tigers captain Martin Corry added: "We left ourselves too much to do at half-time. The board don't need to make changes.
It's only small things here and there that need changing." WASPS Tries: Tom Rees, Josh Lewsey.
Conversions: Mark van Gisbergen 2.
Penalties: van Gisbergen 4.
LEICESTER Tries: Tom Varndell, Harry Ellis. Penalties: Andy Goode 2..
