A Tough Job at Leicester - Match Preview

By BrianC
November 15 2006

Whilst no Guinness Premiership fixtures can be said to be easy next weekend we face one of our toughest annual tests with a trip to take on Leicester at Welford Road.

The Tigers remain unbeaten at home this season, although they did draw with Gloucester. Indeed they remain unbeaten at Welford Road since Gloucester beat them there in January 2004. They have however lost two games this season, at Bath and Saracens.

Our recent record against them is not good. In the equivalent fixture last November we went down 35 - 3. We also lost at home albeit by a respectable margin 25 - 28. It is not since May 2003 that we have beaten them 19 - 20. That was a crucial game, had we not won it we would have gone into the last round as clear favourites to be relegated.

Even though the start they have had is good by most clubs standards, by Leicester’s own very high ones it could best be described as poor. They have only managed thus far to pick up two (try) bonus points. They currently sit fifth in the table with 21 points. The heady days of the early part of this decade are now a distant memory.

Our, shall we say, mixed start to the season does not inspire much confidence for the task we face on Saturday. That said, although we went down last Friday night we did see some signs of improvement. The forwards at last seem to be gelling, scrummaging was generally good and once the Casey/Kennedy combination was going the lineout was much improved.

As is always the case this is going to be a tough one. Leicester will go into the game as clear favourites. If we can come home with any points it will be a major achievement.