Ok then, own up. Who predicted 8 wins from 8 games? Certainly not I. I can attest to stating on The Rolling Maul that I could see us being 5 from 5, but I did not see us actually going on to do so. I could never have dreamed that we would then turn that into 8 wins from the first 8 games, but here we are, and what an achievement it is. In the modern era, and given how competitive the league is these days, to have completed such a run is remarkable. What is even more exciting is that with a home game against Quins next up on 5th December, the run could be stretched even further, though that particular fixture now looks even more mouth watering than it did anyway. Certainly that game will be a real test of fire v ice, given the two contrasting styles that both teams bring.
The result of the great start that Tigers have produced, is that suddenly questions are being asked about what actually can Tigers achieve this season. If you can cast your mind back to the start of the season, my prediction was for Tigers to improve on their 6th placed finish last season and challenge for the play-off positions. I thought it would be tight between a 4th or 5th placed finish, but backed us to sneak into the 4th placed position. I too now am revisiting this after the colossal start we have made, so therefore I do think it is a fair question – what can Tigers go on to achieve this season, and what can we expect as fans?
Well for starters, full credit to Steve Borthwick and the wider coaching team. The fact that Tigers are in this position is testament to their hard work and talent as coaches. They have instilled a mindset and work-ethic that is truly phenomenal and the envy of the league. It is now slowly dawning on fans of opposition teams that this is no longer the Leicester Tigers of 2018-2020, but one that more closely resembles the dominant force of what we used to be. The fear factor in terms of playing Leicester has returned, with the rugby world now starting to see the fruits of the labours being put in over at Oval Park.
I have said privately to friends that this season for Tigers has the same feeling that I had following Leicester City in the 2015-2016 season. I was lucky enough to be present at circa 32 games out of the 38 played that year, and the last few weeks for Tigers has brought back memories of what it was like with the Foxes during that magical time. Not until the last weeks of the season did I ever think that we could or would win the league, that would have been absurd. However, it became very apparent early on in that season, that we were watching a team in the zone, in total control of their actions, and with total belief in what they were doing. It also became very apparent early on, and a feeling that became stronger with time, that things were aligning for us, and we had a very good shot at achieving something special – we just had to take advantage of that opportunity. After the first 8 weeks of this season, I have the same feelings with Leicester Tigers.
It is not just the playing side that brings back memories. The Foxes were under the stewardship of Claudio Ranieri, a man who in theory is the complete opposite of Steve Borthwick. A charismatic Italian, relaxed in the company of journalists as well as charming and jovial with them. However a man that consistently stuck to the same message, insisting that whilst Leicester had made a good start, 40 points and avoiding relegation was the aim. This then changed as results continued to be good, to a top 10 finish, then top 6, to top 4, before finally relenting to admitting that yes he was chasing the title. Sound familiar? Well so far this season Steve has stuck to consistent messages also – “performances for the supporters to be proud of” and “closing the gap on other clubs” to name just a couple. As a result, it allows him, like Ranieri to keep his squad focussed, and stop them from getting too carried away. As has been stated many a time before, you don’t win anything in November.
However, as fans it is slightly different. We don’t have the rigours of training or playing in the games at the weekend, our job is to follow the team, get behind them and provide the encouragement that they need to spur them on. We are however allowed to think further than a week ahead, and begin to dreaming “what if”, certainly Ranieri encouraged us to do so. And in my opinion we are fast approaching the point where we can start dreaming. This quite clearly is a very special group, producing very good performances and results. They are totally committed to the cause, give absolutely everything on the pitch, and with no little skill and talent too. What is also very clear, is that there is more to come. There is improvement to be found across many areas, with Leicester still having growth, on both an individual and team basis to come.
This is already a very good team, which is turning heads in the media and elsewhere. They have all bases covered. They are terrifically fit, allowing them to compete at a high level for 80 minutes. They are physically dominant, with heavy ball carrying options everywhere. They are resolute, organised and physical in defence. They have a fantastic line out combined with a superb driving maul. Their pack is to be feared, and their backs are starting to show their ability, with Tigers now playing some pretty decent attacking rugby. The recruitment improvements over recent years is now paying off with very strong squad depth, with plenty of quality young talent available.
The reality is that this is a very good team now, and should probably be treated as such. It is not just Leicester fans saying this, but opposition fans also. In addition journalists are also speaking about us in such terms. After our demolition of Northampton Saints, The Guardian described us as the best team in the land. On recent evidence, it is hard to argue otherwise.
We therefore have to revisit the original question – what can be achieved? Well, we’re a third of the way through now so it is easier to look at this. We currently have 37 points from our 8 games. Typically, 70 points will get you a top 4 slot - given the higher number of games to be played this season, I think increasing this to 75 as a target is realistic. As a result, Tigers need to gain 38 more points to achieve this goal, which is 2.38 points per game. To put this into context, last season Tigers were at 2.45 points per game. So even if we were to drop our form back to last year’s levels, we should still go on to achieve a top 4 finishing position.
The reason for doing this is to show that actually we’re in a much better place than we anticipated. It also means that our targets and ambitions have probably now changed. Missing out on top 4 now, would be a real collapse in form and probably a bit of a disaster, given the start we have made. Our aim now really should be for a home semi-final position, and the advantages that that would give us. We now should also treat ourselves as a top team. Respect our opponents at all times, but we should not fear anyone now. We have demonstrated that we can take on all-comers.
Whilst I believe we as fans, could and should change our expectations of what we can go onto achieve, we should not lose sight of context either. Statistically we are going to lose a game this season, we may even lose back to back games, we may even, god forbid, lose at Welford Road this season. What I am trying to say, is that if we do lose, we as fans should not lose our heads, we should stay calm and trust the process. We also may not hit the performance heights that we have demonstrated so far, that does not mean that X player or Y coach is useless. Again, lets stay calm, trust the process and realise that we are in a strong situation still, should that ever arise.
To answer the central question, things have changed now with the start Leicester have made. Expectations can and should probably rise with it. No longer should we look enviously at the top of the table, instead lets get used to being back in the top positions. We now should regard ourselves as a top team and one that is capable of beating all opponents.
But finally and most importantly, let’s just enjoy it. We’ve had plenty of dark days over recent years, and it has been a long time since we have had a team like this, with the club in such a strong space like we are now. Let’s celebrate the fact we have a squad full of young, hungry players, who are desperate to improve and take this club back to where we want to be. We have a coaching team that drives the standards and improvements every day. Let’s make following Leicester fun again, by getting behind the team and being as noisy as possible in our support for them. I feel that something special is happening now at Tigers, let’s make the most of it, we could be in for a great season.