However, while I can understand Tigers supporters being unhappy at being in eighth place in the Premiership, because it doesn’t look great, it’s about six times better than the disappointment suffered by Bath fans in recent years. What Leicester fans are going through is nothing by comparison!
Results in the league have not been great for Leicester either before or after Steve Borthwick’s shortlived stint as coach leading to them winning the Premiership title in 2022. That achievement raised expectations massively. However, what it did not take into account is the size of the upheaval that followed, with the entire coaching team of Borthwick, Richard Wigglesworth, Kevin Sinfield and Aled Walters transplanted to Twickenham after signing England contracts.
Add to that the departures of captain Ellis Genge to Bristol, fly-half linchpin George Ford to Sale, Premiership final drop-goal super-sub Freddie Burns heading for Japan, and Jack van Poortvliet suffering a long-term injury, and there was always a chance that the progress might grind to a halt.
Set against that, with international players like Springbok world champion fly-half Handre Pollard and No.8 Jasper Wiese, Argentina captain and hooker Julian Montoya, England’s George Martin, Ollie Chessum, Freddie Steward, and Van Poortvliet, as well as Wales flanker Tommy Reffell, there’s enough quality for Leicester fans to be thinking that they should be up there contending for the title again.
The only problem with that simple explanation is that it excludes the time it takes for players and coaches moving into a new environment to bed in. Added to that, the new man in charge, Australian coach Dan McKellar arrived from a completely different rugby union culture, and inherited a squad of the players he did not know a great deal about.
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra May 12, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Edwards gives Gatland a little to think about
A TERRIFIC effort from Ospreys should have seen victory and it was rough justice that high-flying Cardiff escaped with an undeserved draw.
Cowan-Dickie: I'm back and buzzing
LUKE Cowan-Dickie's journey back to the pinnacle of rugby is nothing short of extraordinary.
Clow keeps Rams in touch at the top
RAMS inward approach is paying dividends with the club involved in another title race thanks in part to free scoring flyer Zachary Clow.
Powell powers over to take Quins home
PLAYMAKER Kayleigh Powell powered past four defenders to score the eighth Harlequins try and narrowly edge out a spirited Trailfinders side to secure a late comeback win in a 15-try derby thriller.
Hathaway can follow Zam Skivington
GEORGE Skivington has backed Josh Hathaway to continue to go from strength to strength as the young winger attempts to follow in the slipstream of Louis Rees-Zammit and be a big hit for club and country.
Hybrid Hash will tie Borthwick in knots
THE description 'Hybrid Central Contracts' does not inspire confidence. Hybrid usually means a bit of this, and a bit of that — and 'Hybrid Hash' would be a more apt term for the RFU contracts given to 17 England players just before the autumn series slump.
Quins leave it late to power past Falcons
MARCUS Smith showed his class on Friday night, being an imperious creator and finisher as Harlequins romped to an emphatic five-try victory on Tyneside.
We need to see a complete shake-up
A NEW year and change is on the way across many aspects of the game, not least with the possibility of an SGM creating a complete change at the RFU.
Cool McBryde steals it for RGC
BILLY McBryde held his nerve to land a last kick of the match conversion to snatch a stunning 4139 win for RGC over leaders Ebbw Vale at Parc Eirias.
Century of highs for La Rochelle
AN IMPRESSIVE milestone at Stade Marcel Deflandre was reached last night, where La Rochelle hosted their 100th sell-out match in a row – either side of the period of pandemic restrictions – a run stretching back to January 2, 2016.
