WELFORD ROAD WEEKLY: EASY, TIGERS
But can you ask for more than that from opening day?
WOW, JUST WOW…
Steve Borthwick and Ellis Genge might have been applying the cold water in bucketloads on Saturday night, but I think we can allow some joy in the world.
I was out with a Tigers-supporting mate in my little part of Leicester on Saturday night (a recce before moving in next week) and the wide-eyed reactions from punters at the local hostelry spoke volumes.
Sometimes cynicism can get in the way but first half performances such as the weekend can only provoke joy. Sheer unconfined joy.
I’d like to think it was about more than beating a very good Exeter team - albeit shorn of their brightest stars no doubt - and more about the pleasure of watching the performance.
But you can appreciate moments like this..soon after Exeter had a try of their own disallowed before half-time:
From there, the rest was history..but this guy is on form too (not Austin, obviously):
From the off, the team looked incredibly well-drilled and cohesive in a way we’ve not seen in a long, long time, even last season. Nadolo was fully involved and there is room for Scott at 13. While Matias Moroni has apparently broken his nose with Argentina, he may yet have a job on to get his place back if the Scotland international remains as sharp.
You can see already why Borthwick skipped the chance to tour with the Lions (boy, what a choice that now looks in hindsight) and the benefits of a full pre-season are very evident indeed.
The only nagging doubt in my mind is whether the game showed who had played more in pre-season - Exeter simply played Munster in one friendly because of their injuries and Henry Slade didn’t feature at all. Bristol didn’t play any pre-season games in public at all, but this may be a calculated choice with a long season ahead.
Talking of player welfare, please keep Nic Dolly in cotton wool until Friday.
EDDIE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW?
Yesterday, Eddie Jones outlined his bid to ensure Saracens win the Premiership by picking half the Leicester Tigers for this season’s England outline squad.
Jones has bet all on stripes. Steward, Kelly, Van Poortvliet, Ben Youngs, Genge, Martin, Wells and even Tommy Reffell.
Remember England finishing 5th in the Six Nations, largely on the basis of Jones insisting on picking Saracens with barely any top-class rugby behind them. No wonder they were rusty.
While the new coaching team including a certain Mr Cockerill will have had their say, Jones remains with the final word has survived. Those to suffer are those the Australian thought were indispensable.
So the Vunipolas are gone, so too Jamie George.
And most bemusingly, George Ford. While Farrell survives, seemingly whiter than white, there ought to be room for both Ford and Marcus Smith in any England squad.
The idea that Ford is the most underrated player in England remains.
You may think this will help Leicester in the short term. At the very least, Ford will be there all week next week to prepare for the visit of Saracens.
But it is widely known that Ford is out of contract next summer, with Sale the likeliest option in England, as it stands. The recent departure of his father has hardly helped Leicester’s chances of keeping him, given their closeness.
Do not expect anything to happen until November though and we know how the club likes a popcorn day. Nothing will happen until the autumn squad is confirmed but if Ford is overlooked again, he is likely to have a plethora of choices.
I am told that around half a dozen Top 14 clubs would all covet Ford. Japan would come calling too, no doubt. Watch this space.
LICHFIELD v LOUGHBOROUGH
One thought on the deal announced last week between Loughborough Lightning and Northampton Saints, which caused a few eyebrows to raise, not least mine.
Looking at it from the outside, this has happened because Tigers are clearly intent on setting up their own operation in time. Loughborough weren’t ready to share or in their view, be pushed to the margins in any joint venture.
I would suggest you looked at the two deals - between Lichfield & Tigers and the Loughborough/Saints deal - and look at how they are branded.
Lichfield Leicester Tigers Ladies will compete in Championship 1 North this season, with their first game against West Park Leeds at Cooke Fields this Sunday. While Lichfield were in the Premier 15s at one stage, Tigers need them now to be ready to bid for a P15 franchise but this is a joint venture.
On the other hand, Loughborough Lightning will play with only a Northampton logo underneath their own, when they turn out a week on Saturday at DMP Sharks in the North East. But the usual club colours will remain, the name is unchanged but Loughborough keep their place.
With Novocastrians linked to Newcastle Falcons, that left Northampton as the last Premiership club without a women’s team or links to one.
They have rather opportunistically done a marketing deal, will stage games at Franklin’s Gardens - and on the evidence of the publicity, make vague commitments to community development and promoting women’s rugby.
So that’s all good then.
ELSEWHERE…
If you’ve not already seen this, look away now…
Maybe Pieterse was annoyed at having to do this, the week before
But you want commitment, I’ll give you commitment….
Oh and while we’re talking about Sevens…
The pinnacle of sevens is now the Olympic Games, where GB play.
We’ve just got used to GB being involved in the World Sevens series.
Why change it now?
Thanks for your company again this week. See you next week.
Chris
PS Do drop me a line if there are particular features you’d like to see this season…