New coaching team for Leicester

[Puja]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/52562850

I am cautiously optimistic about these developments. Leicester has been too insular for years - stagnating under Cockerill, not giving Mauger any more than a caretaker's role before performing an "intensive, worldwide search for a world-class head coach" and settling on Cockerill's old assistant, before giving him the Spanish archer and once again promoting from within to give Murphy, the perennially promoted, the top job. And all along, a cavalcade of assistants grabbed in mid-season from whomever was available and then shuffled around, then ditched. It's been a sh*t-show.

Now, we've got Borthwick as a new broom and what I presume (and pray, for f*ck's sake) are Borthwick's chosen assistants - the fitness coach from the new World Champions who's been in Wales, NZ, Australia, Ireland, and South Africa; and an attack coach who's coached in NZ and Australia. They'll bring an outside perspective which is badly needed, as well as some fresh ideas. We're keeping Stankovich as scrum coach who is highly rated, and Ford is going back to defence coach where he has a history of being successful, instead of attack coach where he was for... some reason. Not sure about Deacon in the forwards, but Borthwick presumably knows his onions there and can lend a hand if needed.

I've been optimistic before and had those dreams crushed horribly before, but this does seem like a good base to build upon.

Puja

[Oakboy]

I always think that Leicester is to rugby as Yorkshire is to cricket. For the game to be strong, Leicester need to be strong. The snag with that is the deep-rooted traditions of management succession failed to keep up with the times.

A change of concept may be essential but is Borthwick the man to do it? I hope he is but I have my doubts.

[Banquo]

Still got a pretty poor squad though. Purse, sow's ear etc. And Mike Ford.

[Digby]

Mike Ford had one of the more interesting attacks of recent times with that diamond at Bath. Though he did have a couple of very skilful players, and he's yet to show he could bring about a second interesting system

[Banquo]

Mike Ford had one of the more interesting attacks of recent times with that diamond at Bath. Though he did have a couple of very skilful players, and he's yet to show he could bring about a second interesting system

He is also a tad disruptive, and not in a good way. And his son is the lynchpin of the team, and Mike is defence coach.

[Puja]

Still got a pretty poor squad though. Purse, sow's ear etc. And Mike Ford.

Genge
Mamu
Cole
Green
Lavanini
Liebenberg
Taufua
[Lol, Leicester don't play three back row!)
Youngs
Ford
Nadolo
Scott
Tuilagi
Olowofela
Veainu

is far from a bad squad. It's not Premiership winning anymore, but that's still a top-half squad.

Puja

[Banquo]

Still got a pretty poor squad though. Purse, sow's ear etc. And Mike Ford.

Genge
Mamu
Cole
Green
Lavanini
Liebenberg
Taufua
[Lol, Leicester don't play three back row!)
Youngs
Ford
Nadolo
Scott
Tuilagi
Olowofela
Veainu

is far from a bad squad. It's not Premiership winning anymore, but that's still a top-half squad.

Puja

Gosh, so you will get through a season with 15 players! Also isn't that pretty much the same set of players (bar maybe 3?, haven't been tracking new signings) that sees you bottom of the current prem table?
By all means be optimistic, but when the season was live, weren;t we all saying how poor the Tigers pack were?

[Puja]

Still got a pretty poor squad though. Purse, sow's ear etc. And Mike Ford.

Genge
Mamu
Cole
Green
Lavanini
Liebenberg
Taufua
[Lol, Leicester don't play three back row!)
Youngs
Ford
Nadolo
Scott
Tuilagi
Olowofela
Veainu

is far from a bad squad. It's not Premiership winning anymore, but that's still a top-half squad.

Puja

Gosh, so you will get through a season with 15 players! Also isn't that pretty much the same set of players (bar maybe 3?, haven't been tracking new signings) that sees you bottom of the current prem table?
By all means be optimistic, but when the season was live, weren;t we all saying how poor the Tigers pack were?

14 players, thank you - we only play 2 back row.

It is mostly the same squad, but it's the same squad that people have been remarking over "How on earth are they that bad with those players?!" for the past two seasons and which I suspect will do better with an actual competent coaching team rather than Murphy and 15 hastily appointed assistants

Puja

[Banquo]

Genge
Mamu
Cole
Green
Lavanini
Liebenberg
Taufua
[Lol, Leicester don't play three back row!)
Youngs
Ford
Nadolo
Scott
Tuilagi
Olowofela
Veainu

is far from a bad squad. It's not Premiership winning anymore, but that's still a top-half squad.

Puja

Gosh, so you will get through a season with 15 players! Also isn't that pretty much the same set of players (bar maybe 3?, haven't been tracking new signings) that sees you bottom of the current prem table?
By all means be optimistic, but when the season was live, weren;t we all saying how poor the Tigers pack were?

14 players, thank you - we only play 2 back row.

It is mostly the same squad, but it's the same squad that people have been remarking over "How on earth are they that bad with those players?!" for the past two seasons and which I suspect will do better with an actual competent coaching team rather than Murphy and 15 hastily appointed assistants

Puja

Well I wasn't one of those remarking that- its likely they could have gone better, but the pack especially back 5 has looked very average in personnel and configuration for ages.

[fivepointer]

Here's hoping for an upturn in fortunes. Leicester are a big, important club in England and it isnt a good look to see them floundering in the Premiership and being 3rd raters in Europe.
They should be better with the squad, even as unbalanced as it has been containing too much poor recruitment. They've started the clear out and seem to have got in place a heavyweight coaching panel.

[Puja]

Here's hoping for an upturn in fortunes. Leicester are a big, important club in England and it isnt a good look to see them floundering in the Premiership and being 3rd raters in Europe.
They should be better with the squad, even as unbalanced as it has been containing too much poor recruitment. They've started the clear out and seem to have got in place a heavyweight coaching panel.

The thing that concerns me is that, as Banquo has pointed out, we cannot live off 14 players alone (although I forgot we signed Brink, so I guess we do now have three back rows. Yaay!). There are some decent squad players still (Bateman, Youngs, Wells, Eastmond) and some good youngsters coming through the academy (Heyes, Martin, Reffel, White, Steward), but that squad is still a little thin. Previously, our clear-outs have been swiftly followed by a round of "Buy as many overpriced journeymen as we can" and then we're faced with the same problem 3 years down the line.

I'd be happier if we used our spare money to buy 3 good players who will challenge to start and tried to use the academy more, rather than 8 meh players who will cover the squad. A lock, an eight, and probably a hooker would be my preference.

Puja

[Tigersman]

Well a lot of hopes with the forwards is being pinned on Borthwick.
He is known for helping produce one of the best lineouts in International rugby both attack and defence.
Tigers are known for having the worst lineout in the prem.
SO hopefully that will help, I've lost track of how many times Tigers have lost points due to a shit lineout.


A lot of the talk seems to be Academy focused which is pleasing.
The new Attack coach Rob Taylor also seems to have a excellent record of coaching young developing players from the 18 upwards with his Uni and development coaching.
So i'm hopeful the likes of Law, JVP, Steward, Browning will develop a lot with him on board.

[francoisfou]

I think Tigers can now approach next season with a certain amount of optimism. I don’t know when the whole squad will be able to get together for pre-season training so that Borthwick can make his mark but, the signs are encouraging. Whether they’ll be in contention for a place in the top 6 is another matter, but at least they’re unlikely to be in another relegation scrap.

[twitchy]

I really like borthwick and hope he does well. I totally agree that english rugby needs a strong tigers team.

[Oakboy]

I really like borthwick and hope he does well. I totally agree that english rugby needs a strong tigers team.

That's an interesting remark. Why do you like Borthwick so much? Just asking because I must be missing something.

[Tigersman]

LEICESTER TIGERS COACHING TEAM – SEASON 2020/21
Director of Rugby: Geordan Murphy
Head Coach: Steve Borthwick
Defence Coach: Mike Ford
Scrum Coach: Boris Stankovich
Attack Coach: Rob Taylor
Breakdown Coach: Brett Deacon
Head of Physical Performance: Aled Walters
Head of Medical: Ed Hollis
Senior Performance Analyst: Simon Barbour
Head of Elite Performance Recruitment: Jan McGinity

Head of Performance Pathway and Talent Identification: Ged Glynn
Academy Manager: Dave Wilks
Academy Head Coach: Matt Smith
Academy Assistant Coaches: Tom Harrison, David Mélé
Junior Academy Manager: Greg Mannion

[Digby]

Here's hoping for an upturn in fortunes. Leicester are a big, important club in England and it isnt a good look to see them floundering in the Premiership and being 3rd raters in Europe.
They should be better with the squad, even as unbalanced as it has been containing too much poor recruitment. They've started the clear out and seem to have got in place a heavyweight coaching panel.

The thing that concerns me is that, as Banquo has pointed out, we cannot live off 14 players alone (although I forgot we signed Brink, so I guess we do now have three back rows. Yaay!). There are some decent squad players still (Bateman, Youngs, Wells, Eastmond) and some good youngsters coming through the academy (Heyes, Martin, Reffel, White, Steward), but that squad is still a little thin. Previously, our clear-outs have been swiftly followed by a round of "Buy as many overpriced journeymen as we can" and then we're faced with the same problem 3 years down the line.

I'd be happier if we used our spare money to buy 3 good players who will challenge to start and tried to use the academy more, rather than 8 meh players who will cover the squad. A lock, an eight, and probably a hooker would be my preference.

Puja

If you have spare money it probably buys you more than 3 good players now that most sides (test and clubs) can't afford to pay their players

[Puja]

Interesting quotes from McGinty on the 21 players leaving:

"Sometimes tough decisions have to be made,” said McGinty. “In this time there is a lot of uncertainty and it is tough to inform individuals they are no longer going to be part of the journey … Geordan wanted to change the squad and Steve Borthwick has certain thoughts as well.

“We want guys to be here for a long time, but in some instances we need to change that dynamic. Geordan inherited a situation, a lot of which he could not change. It takes time to make changes. We have hopefully got some stability to allow Geordan to have that time.

“In some regards Geordan has been firefighting but it is just the start of this journey. We want success in the long term but it takes time to establish those foundations.”

Seems a little generous to Murphy there, considering Murphy didn't "inherit" the squad from nowhere, but was actively part of the two previous regimes (even if not in charge). Hopefully Borthwick's certain thoughts are the ones taking precedence here.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/recruitm ... 21-players

Puja

[Tigersman]

Simon Cohen leaves his post as CEO.
Andrea Pinchen becomes the first women Premiership CEO

[Tigersman]

Interesting quotes from McGinty on the 21 players leaving:

"Sometimes tough decisions have to be made,” said McGinty. “In this time there is a lot of uncertainty and it is tough to inform individuals they are no longer going to be part of the journey … Geordan wanted to change the squad and Steve Borthwick has certain thoughts as well.

“We want guys to be here for a long time, but in some instances we need to change that dynamic. Geordan inherited a situation, a lot of which he could not change. It takes time to make changes. We have hopefully got some stability to allow Geordan to have that time.

“In some regards Geordan has been firefighting but it is just the start of this journey. We want success in the long term but it takes time to establish those foundations.”

Seems a little generous to Murphy there, considering Murphy didn't "inherit" the squad from nowhere, but was actively part of the two previous regimes (even if not in charge). Hopefully Borthwick's certain thoughts are the ones taking precedence here.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/recruitm ... 21-players

Puja

True but he also had no say in recruitment at all.
MOC, Cohen and Glynn.

The youtube video of the interview is interesting, McGinty looks a great signing for the back room stuff.

[Puja]

Simon Cohen leaves his post as CEO.
Andrea Pinchen becomes the first women Premiership CEO

Not a scoob who she is, or if she's any good, but she's got a heck of a low bar to clear! A google says she's come up through the ranks from ticket office manager in 2004 to commercial manager, commercial director, then COO before now CEO. Assuming she's not another Geordan Murphy, sounds like she's got the skills and the experience.

True but he also had no say in recruitment at all.
MOC, Cohen and Glynn.

The youtube video of the interview is interesting, McGinty looks a great signing for the back room stuff.

That's fair, I guess. Have you got a link to the video of the interview?

Puja

[Tigersman]

TBH as long as Pinchen leaves the rugby side of things to McGinty, Borthwick and Murphy then it will be a improvement.

[Puja]

TBH as long as Pinchen leaves the rugby side of things to McGinty, Borthwick and Murphy then it will be a improvement.

Finally got round to watching that all the way through - thanks for the share. It does sound very promising, especially the bits about using the academy and building a culture through that. Mind, words are cheap - we'll see if we sign in half a dozen journeymen to bulk out the squad before the season starts.

Puja

[Tigersman]

More Tigers changes
Ged Glynn and David Mele off
Murphy DOR role will take over Glynn and he will work with David Wilks and Matt Smith

[Puja]

More Tigers changes
Ged Glynn and David Mele off
Murphy DOR role will take over Glynn and he will work with David Wilks and Matt Smith

Odd for Mele - he retired from playing rugby (and reneged on a contract) to join Tigers' academy staff last year. What's changed so quickly?

Puja