During the dark days of the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons, culminating in Leicester Tigers hitting new lows almost on a weekly basis, it became customary to walk away from home games at Welford Road shaking your head. That was either in disgust at the level of performance put in by those on the pitch, or in disbelief at how Leicester had found a way to lose games, when it seemed easier to win them. Either way, it was not very often you walked away with a smile on your face when leaving home games. Even rarer to leave away games looking happier either, but you get my point.
However, those who braved the elements last Saturday at home to our favourite villains Saracens, no doubt left the ground after the final whistle in jubilation and ecstasy, caused by the fantastic comeback win achieved by the team. I also know of those who left before the final whistle on Saturday, which, as decisions go, looks on a par with re-appointing Matt O’Connor. I hope for their sake, they stick to the end next time, and this is because this Tigers team is starting to show they have got a fair amount about them these days, and that it’s worth your time in sticking around.
It wasn’t just the win that caused such jubilation, including as I tweeted on Sunday, a rather brilliant 20 yard knee slide by Freddie Burns, but the manner in which Leicester did so. Winning ugly is a trait that all top Tigers teams have had over the years, and indeed, Saturday’s win can only be described as an ugly one. They were behind for the vast majority of the game until the last, and to be honest, probably second best to a good Saracens side as well, however the heart and determination on show came to the fore and ensured that it was the Tigers that came away the victors. It is not often that either side have found themselves in such a position at the final whistle in recent years, and it was a victory for Leicester that will probably go down in Welford Road folklore, given how much the old girl was partying at the end. Winning ugly, is a good habit to have in your locker, and whilst you would not want to repeat it too often, it is another tick in the box for this young squad as they continue their revolution and growth.
And it is the squad itself that proved to be so crucial on Saturday, and one that again, helped create such a buzz about the win. Before the season started, one of the talking points that fans and pundits mentioned the most was about the Tigers’ squad, and how it looked in good depth. Well, the win against Saracens was a good showcase for that, and justified the faith and belief in the group that Steve and co have assembled. There were different reasons for this, which I will look at.
Squad Age
One of the most striking things about the 15 that finished the game Saturday was the age of those on the pitch. This was not a gnarly and scarred bunch, that had spent years at the coalface for Leicester, but a rather youthful and freshfaced ensemble, that showed poise and patience beyond their years to engineer their victory. Indeed a look at the pack shows this, with the elder statesman being Tom Cowan-Dickie at the ripe old age of 30, being joined by likes of 20 year-old George Martin, and 21 year-olds Ollie Chessum and Cam Henderson. Overall, the average age of the forwards came in at just under 25, which is fantastic and points to a bright future for the club and for those players as individuals. If they can muscle their way over the line at this stage in their careers, what will they be like as their experience builds?
It was not just in the forwards where youth was prominent, in the backline, the average age was 25, including two 20 year olds in JVP and Dan Kelly, alongside Freddie Steward at 21. This is a Tigers team with age on their side, with youthful enthusiasm and an all-round lack of fear by the bucketload. Considering the other players under 25, who were either on the bench at this point or not selected (Heyes, Reffell, Dolly etc), and suddenly the next 5-10 years for the club looks very exciting. These players can only get better, and have the world at their feet, especially under the tutelage of Steve Borthwick, whose reputation gets better and better with each passing week.
Wish You Were Here
It was not just the age of those on the pitch that was so impressive, but the cast list of those either not available or not picked that made the win even better. The likes of Montoya and Tom Youngs at hooker, Heyes, Snyman, Brink, Van Staden, Wiese in the rest of the forwards (amongst others), or Nadolo, Potter, Moroni, Hegarty and Scott in the backs were all not selected for the game, and that is a very handy group to have at your disposal. Certainly those looking on, will be desperate to get involved, having seen the result and the crowd reaction. Both are aspects that felt like the Leicester Tigers that they had signed for, and had been spoken about so often. Currently Tigers are top of table, with many of those just mentioned not having featured yet this season. The likes of Wiese, Van Staden and Montoya especially are big hitters to come back into a pack that already is looking strong. This it itself shows the levels of quality that Borthwick can choose from.
It is this depth that Borthwick has that gave such confidence to us as fans before a ball was kicked. It is not an understatement now to say that Tigers have 2, and in some instances 3 very strong options in each position to choose from. Of the 30-40 players that Leicester have in contention for selection at first team level, all now are capable of performing at this level if selected. Gone are the days of people picking up a contract and offering nothing. It allows Tigers to move their players around dependant on opponents or circumstances, and vary their tactics accordingly. It also means that competition for places in training can stay high, and put pressure on those selected to start to keep their standards high, as there is a waiting list of players who will be snapping at their heels for their opportunity. It’s a nice problem to have.
Rest and Rotation
Many a pair of eyebrows were raised when the team selections were made public on Friday lunchtime, as Borthwick had gone against expected wisdom by making several changes to his 23, from what had been made in the previous games against Exeter and Gloucester. The likes of Genge, Snyman, Nadolo, Potter and Scott, who had been key reasons for the back to back victories were all either selected to be on the bench, or not selected at all. Once the shock had been digested, a look at the team that Saracens had picked made many a fan wary of what was to come, with many of their Lions and England internationals returning. However to win, and in the manner that they did so, vindicates Borthwick’s choices and allows him to continue with that method of constant rest and rotation.
Having such a rotation policy in place will allow Borthwick to keep his players fresh and hopefully away from injuries. Given how long the season is, and how much rugby there is still to play, this will be crucial and a huge positive for the club. If Tigers can stay around and continue to be challenging the upper echelons of the table, then this rotation policy should allow Leicester to get more out of their players than other teams in the closing weeks of the season, and could make a huge difference. Certainly Tigers teams of old were notorious in finishing the season strongly and sprinting over the finishing line. The squad this year, could again help replicate that and help contribute towards a high finish in the table.
Conclusion
There is an awful lot of rugby still to be played this season, and numerous more challenges that the Tigers will face and have to overcome. However, there is a growing amount of evidence that the current group of players assembled, looks to be one of the strongest the club has built in many a year, and look well-equipped to be able to overcome those hurdles. This again will be tested on Saturday away at London Irish, come on Tigers!