Leicester Tigers 2019-20

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Fixtures


September
13th Misc - Premiership Sevens, Pool Fixtures
14th Misc - Premiership Sevens, KO Fixtures
21st 15:00 - Worcester (a), Premiership Cup
27th 19:45 - Exeter (h), Premiership Cup

October
 5th 15:00 - Bath (a), Premiership Cup
12th 15:00 - Northampton (h), Premiership Cup
19th 15:00 - Worcester (a), Gallagher Premiership
27th 15:00 - Saracens (h), Gallagher Premiership

November
 2nd 15:00 - Gloucester (h), Gallagher Premiership
10th 15:00 - London Irish (a), Gallagher Premiership
16th 15:00 - Pau (h), Challenge Cup
23rd 20:00 - Cardiff (a), Challenge Cup
30th 15:00 - Northampton (a), Gallagher Premiership

December
 7th 15:00 - Calvisano (h), Challenge Cup
14th 13:30 - Calvisano (a), Challenge Cup
21st 15:00 - Exeter (h), Gallagher Premiership
28th 16:30 - Harlequins (a - Twickenham), Gallagher Premiership

January
 4th 15:00 - Bristol (h), Gallagher Premiership
12th 15:15 - Cardiff (h), Challenge Cup
17/18/19 - Pau (a), Challenge Cup
24/25/26 - Bath (a), Gallagher Premiership

February
14/15/16 - Wasps (h), Gallagher Premiership
21/21/23 - Sale (a), Gallagher Premiership
28/29/01 - Worcester (h), Gallagher Premiership

March
6/7/8 - Saracens (a), Gallagher Premiership
20/21/22 - Exeter (a), Gallagher Premiership
27/28/29 - Beth (h), Gallagher Premiership


April
3/4/5 - Castres (h), Challenge Cup 1/4 Final
10/11/12 - London Irish (h), Gallagher Premiership
17/18/19 - Gloucester (a), Gallagher Premiership
24/25/26 - Sale (h), Gallagher Premiership

May
8/9/10 - Wasps (a), Gallagher Premiership
15/16/17 - Northampton (h), Gallagher Premiership
29/30/31 - Bristol (a), Gallagher Premiership

June
5/6/7 - Harlequins (h), Gallagher Premiership


Squad & Coaching Team


Head Coach: Geordan Murphy
Forwards Coach: Mark Bakewell
Attack Coach: Mike Ford
Defence Coach: Phil Blake
Scrum Coach: Boris Stankovich
Senior Development coach: Brett Deacon
Team Manager: Teresa Carrington


First Team Squad:
Props (8): Greg Bateman, Dan Cole, Gaston Cortes, Ellis Genge, Facundo Gigena, Joe Heyes, Owen Hills, Nephi Leatigaga
Hookers (5): Charlie Clare, Jake Kerr, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Jimmy Stevens, Tom Youngs
Second Row (4): Calum Green, Tomas Lavanini, Will Spencer, Harry Wells
Back Row (8): Jordan Coghlan, Dave Denston, Sione Kalamafoni, Sam Lewis, Hanro Liebenberg, Tommy Reffell, Jordan Taufua, Guy Thompson
Half Backs: (8)Sam Harrison, Harry Simmons, Ben White, Ben Youngs, George Ford, Tom Hardwicke, Johnny McPhillips, Noel Reid
Outside Backs (13): Sam Aspland-Robinson, Kyle Eastmond, Andy Forsyth, Jonah Holmes, Jonny May, Jordan Olowofela, Jaco Taute, Joe Thomas, Adam Thompstone, Manu Tuilagi, Telusa Veainu, EW Viljoen, George Worth

Development Squad:
Props (3): Osman Dimen, Keston Lines, James Whitcombe
Hookers (0):
Second Row (3): Cameron Jordan, Tom Manz, George Martin
Back Row (5): Ollie Ashwoth, Sam Eveleigh, Taylor Gough, Henri Lavin, Thom Smith
Half Backs (3): Jonny Law, Jack van Poortvliet, Sam Costelow
Outside Backs (4): Joe Browning, Kyran Bungaroo, Leo Gilliland, Freddie Steward

Brink confirmed.

Good player, right position to make signings, right age but achilles injuries are tough to come back from. Anthony Watson has shown what's possible though. I'm glad he's joining immediately. That seems like a vote of confidence in Tigers medical team from Brink.

If he can return from the injuries then it should be another improvement in the forwards, which have improved significantly already.

Polota-Nau, Spencer and Kalamafoni is a lot of cap. Hopefully there's room for Brink, a starting lock and a number 8.

My money would be on Brink being viewed as the 8.

https://www.leicestertigers.com/news/tigers-to-welcome-cyle-brink-to-leicester

Says he's joining ahead of next season. I suspect he's a direct replacement for Kalamafoni. From the little I've seen he's a physical unit that likes to compete for everything. Sounds good. If we can keep him fit. He might be a better player than Kalamafoni but what's made Kalamafoni so useful to Tigers is the sheer number of games he's played.

Kalamafoni has been stood down for 3 months due to concussion symptoms.

May fractured his cheekbone against Wales. Extended period on the sideline.

McPhillips has a PCL tear in his right knee. Out for 3 months.

With Manu about to be suspended and Steward already suspended that's more cruddy luck.

Hopefully Taute is back for the weekend after this one so we can give Ford a semblance of a backline to work with. Taufua, Lavanini and Liebenburg should all be back so the pack should be tasty.

Taute is out for 3 months. Torn bicep, had surgery at the end of February.

9.Youngs 10.Ford 11.Holmes 12.Eastmond 13.Worth 14.Hughes 15.Veainu

21.White 22.Hardwick 23.Thomas

Kind of last man standing stages. I'm not sure when Reid and Olowofela are due back though.

I hope Hardwick gets a chance at 12 outside Ford but with all the injuries I expect Eastmond will be the 'safe' option.

In brighter news Tommy Reffell won breakthrough player of the season in the PRC.

He's a fantastic young player, I just hope Tigers keep him long term. Future captain if he remains at the club.

I really wouldn't bother with Hughes. He's offered nothing to suggest he'd be worth keeping. I'd rather see;

9. Youngs, 10. Ford, 11. TV, 12. Eastmond, 13. Thomas, 14. Holmes, 15. Worth

22. White, 23. Hardwick

Go for a 6/2 split Vs Chiefs it'll be a brutal physical game. Chiefs like to kick and play territory so Worth makes sense. He's better under the high ball and kicks well. TV on the wing with licence to roam might give our backline some much needed creativity.

Genge, Kerr, Cole, Spencer, Lavanini, Liebenburg, Reffell, Taufua

Bench - TPN, Leatigaga, Heyes, Green, Wells, Lewis

Would be a handy time for Guy Thompson to return but sadly can't see that happening. Wouldn't mind us shifting the backrow round so that Liebenburg plays 8 with Taufua at 7 and Wells to 6 to try and counter the Chiefs rolling maul and give us more impact off the bench, particularly if we're concerned about Taufua tiring.

king_carlos wrote:In brighter news Tommy Reffell won breakthrough player of the season in the PRC.

He's a fantastic young player, I just hope Tigers keep him long term. Future captain if he remains at the club.

The kind of player we should be giving a three or four year deal to. Major benefit to us is the number of opensides in Wales. Hopefully he's not made the sort of promises Costelow seems to have (Costelow has done some training with the senior international team).

king_carlos wrote:In brighter news Tommy Reffell won breakthrough player of the season in the PRC.

He's a fantastic young player, I just hope Tigers keep him long term. Future captain if he remains at the club.

One thing to mention is that the results were based on a public vote from the shortlist provided (based on performances in Premiership Cup matches). As the best supported club not a massive surprise perhaps.

Jonny May (fractured cheekbone), Sione Kalamafoni (Concussion) and Johnny McPhillips (ligament tear) all long term absentees.

Neurological advice sees Kalamafoni prescribed 3 months rest, McPhillips expected to be out for a similar time - thus both unlikely to be back this season. Not sure it is worth risking May either. Shame that two of these might have played their last games for us.

LondonTiger wrote:

king_carlos wrote:In brighter news Tommy Reffell won breakthrough player of the season in the PRC.

He's a fantastic young player, I just hope Tigers keep him long term. Future captain if he remains at the club.

One thing to mention is that the results were based on a public vote from the shortlist provided (based on performances in Premiership Cup matches). As the best supported club not a massive surprise perhaps.

A good point.

With how far Bristol's attendances have come and Tigers average attendance down we might get overtaken as the best supported club in one regard pretty soon. Obviously a lot of fans choose to support clubs without attending games in person these days but still something that a lot of Tigers fans would have scoffed at a few years ago.

Best supported by attendance might be a moot point in the coming weeks!

So the club is off the open market after the board could not find an offer suitable to the shareholders or prospective owners with the correct ethos to carry the club forward. If I was a cynic I'd wonder whether correct ethos meant that they didn't want the current board to still have a say in the running of the club.

The whole thing was a come and get us plea to King Power really and as that fell flat it's gone nowhere and the current economic climate won't help.

As a share holder the amount of information received has been non-existent on this. I do suspect that no-one came in with the amount of money wanted.

Rumour I heard from a few different people was that an offer for just over £40 million was tabled and rejected.

The last year hasn't been the best for generating good value for potential investment. I suspect the club will be relisted in the future when things are a bit more stable.

I can't see anything picking up for Leicester next season by the way they are currently recruiting. Nadolo is well past his best and i doubt he will score 10 tries next season. Henry and Brink are both completely unproven (they could go either way). Mamukashvili I doubt will see hardly any gametime with the options they already have there.

At this point they would need to make a dozen quality signings at least which I doubt they have the budget for. Additionally they are also a prime example of a club that does not value players wages correctly (not just them as this is a epidemic in rugby currently). Tuilagi and Ford while both quality international players are not worth the club salary of 600K a year. Even if the player would be valued at 25K match fee England pay (which no other international team in rugby are anywhere close to), then assuming the guy plays 22 matches in the calender year for the club he would be valued at 550K. Given these players have to rest 1 in 3 games your looking at a season total of about 15 matches, giving them a total value of 375K.

So basically what I am saying Leicester pay to much for the talent they do have which stops them from actually recruiting a stronger squad.

Just to hammer home the point - the NFL on a lot of Superstar contracts usually put a lot of stat based performance bonuses in their contracts. For example player X must make 1000 yards, or 50 intercepts or whatever stats are applicable to their positions. They do this so if a player underperforms, is injured or is replaced by another player, the franchises are not exposed on massive bloated salaries. Dont get me wrong usually these bonuses probably only make 20% to 30% of a players salary but it certanly limits complacency from players and generally works well in terms of placing incentives in contracts for players. Rugby is well behind on this concept.

Certainly the issues have been that previously we have rewarded loyalty far more highly than we should have done. Players like Kitchener and Tom Youngs were on pretty significant contracts before Kitch left and Tom signed his new deal. The Manu contract we certainly overpaid and that could be seen as an error but our inability to find another consistently good OC has somewhat prompted that. Ford has got his new deal but kept us up last season, that's not an understatement. Despite international call ups he was the league top points scorer last season. I'm not sure we'd be able to recruit a flyhalf of anywhere near his calibre had he gone elsewhere and the rumours were he had offers.

Naldolo has a phenomenal scoring rate for Montpellier. To say he's past his best is judging him on his age. The guy is a beast and capable of stepping into the centre and we badly need some additional bosh that can cover multiple positions in the backline. His contract is not massive either so I'm more than happy to see him coming in.

Henry is a punt and a cheap one. McPhillips out and him in. It's a squad signing. He can play 10 and 15, kicks goals and can attack ball in hand. Why not. We've got other options at 10 and 15 so we're not relying on him it's a punt that could come good, like when we signed that Fijian winger no one had heard of from the French second division.

The hooker is experienced and good at the set piece. He's played for a couple of big French sides and had a brief spell in the Prem when he was younger. Tom isn't getting any younger, TPN is off and Kerr is still developing. Hence it's a handy signing that frees up some considerable amount of cash for investment elsewhere.

Brink was selected in the SA squad but had to pull out through injury. Last season he played well but wasn't going to make a fairly settled Bok squad by then. Injured again so misses this season. He's at Tigers already rehabbing and getting settled in for next season. He's got plenty of Super Rugby game time under his belt.

Overpaying players has been clear at Tigers for seasons now. It's a hangover of the structure with Cockers at the helm. He was DOR but not left with last call on signings or contracts. That fell to Cohen and latterly Glynn, both of whom shouldn't be doing that job. McGinity was one of Tigers most important signings for years in that regard I think. He did a good job and Worcester and the SRU in the exact role Tigers tried to operate without.

It's easy to guffaw at the wage that someone like Ian Madigan gets at Bristol but Tigers have over payed similarly in recent years for the likes of Fonau. Hooker currently has a ridiculous amount of cap invested in in a position where Tigers almost always come off second best.

If Mamukashvili sits on the bench behind Youngs then it will be a clear indication that things haven't moved on much under Borthwick.

Brink signing will depend on whether or not he's fit long term. Taute was the same and hasn't come off this season sadly.

All I'm saying Sam is that with the signings so far i cant see how Leicester will be a bottom 3 premiership side.

And I think they did have a receplacement in Ford but didnt secure him long term at Leicester in Costelow. He's going to be a future welsh 10 in the next 3 seasons probably.

Re Costelow there's not much a club can do if a Union come after an individual player. Pivac has given the WRU a clear signal that the quality at the regions isn't good enough in many positions and he wants WQP brought back if Gatland's law isn't going to change.

It will help Wales in the short term but in the long term I expect Prem clubs will stop developing players who want to play in Wales if Gatland's law is still there. Personally I think there's a big difference between players who come through another leagues academy set-up and develop into internationals compared to players that the regions develop into internationals who then jump ship after a few caps bump their wage offers up.

If Pivac wants a better player pool to pick from then relaxing Gatland's law for young players who have never played for a region would be the long term view IMO.

Welshmushroom wrote:All I'm saying Sam is that with the signings so far i cant see how Leicester will be a bottom 3 premiership side.  

And I think they did have a receplacement in Ford but didnt secure him long term at Leicester in Costelow.  He's going to be a future welsh 10 in the next 3 seasons probably.

It's difficult with young players some times. Think of it from Costelow's point of view if he signs a four year deal with Tigers after leaving the academy then there's a fixed earning ceiling there, if he only signs shorter contracts then he backs himself to force game time and increase his earning potential. He's also got the case of walking away if he doesn't play. The WRU and Pivac have had him train with the senior Welsh team and obviously got into his ear about returning home to get game time and a Wales call up. Tough position for any English club in that situation unless they can afford to pay every talented age grade player first team wages.

We've been under performing for some time. I think in terms of player quality the first team is good and the squad is improving. The issue has been for some time we've been less than the sum of our parts. Clearing out deadwood and freshening up the coaching squad is required and appears to be ongoing. We'll need a couple (maybe three) more quality additions ahead of next season and they'll need to be forwards.

The Tigers academy and development squad are feeding talent into the first team again which is a major benefit.

Next year's 23 looks like;

Genge, Kerr, Cole
Lavanini, ? - expecting an incoming lock
Liebenburg, Taufua, Brink
Youngs, Ford
Reid/Eastmond, Manu
Nadolo, TV, May/Holmes

Bench - Mamukashvili, Leatigaga, Heyes, Wells, Reffell, White, Henry/Reid/Hardwick, Holmes/Taute

Some unknowns and the reliance on some youth but there's no hiding from the fact we're going to rebuild and it'll take time. The club will say we're aiming for top 6 but realistically we'll probably around 7th/8th/9th with Falcons and Worcester sat below us with maybe Wasps, Quins or Bath joining them down there.

When Gustard joined Quins he said it takes a coach 3 years minimum to get the squad you want as you're waiting for contracts to run their course in many cases. That's been the case in a few areas for Tigers.

2.Polota-Nau ---> Mamukashvili
3.Mulipola ---> Leatigaga (Logo left in 2018 but Nephi was signed as replacement then, just couldn't secure release until 2019)
4.Fitzgerald ---> Lavanini
5.Kitchener ---> ???
6.Williams ---> Liebenberg
7.O'Connor ---> Taufua
8.Kalamafoni ---> Brink

Over the course of 2 pre-seasons that will have happened come 2020/21. Some significant improvement in amongst that.

Loosehead hasn't had recent recruitment but since Ayerza retired Genge, Gigena and Bateman have all improved a lot under Boris. Our props are one of the few areas I'm very happy with. Particularly with Leatigaga showing up so well on both sides. I really hope Lines and Dimen are the 4th choices on either side for next year.

I just hope that youngsters who always seem to have positive impacts get rewarded more and more with game time. I'd put Tommy Reffell in that bracket. Joe Heyes and Sam Lewis are thereabouts. I think Freddie Steward, JvP and Joe Browning will join them soon. Losing Harry Thacker and Will Evans stung for that reason above all. They were simply fun players to watch having followed their careers from an early stage and seen them grow as players.

I'm not a happy clapper and I'm fully aware of how poor Tigers have been. As part of a freelance bit for a Scottish rugby publication I re-watched all of Tigers games from the 2 seasons before and after Cockers left, comparing our downward arc to Edinburgh's upward arc, discussing how coaching and administration need to see eye-to-eye to allow either to work. Also discussing how coaching regimes have a kind of sell by date at a club where things get stale. I believe that happened with Cockers and Tigers. Regardless of how abject much of our rugby has been since I think Cocker moving on was right for man and club.

Green came in for Kitchener.

Our performances have improved post Christmas, in the main. A little more quality should see us step up a little further. We've got to start picking up points away from home.

25% cut in pay for all staff, effective 1st April and until rugby starts again.

Happening at most clubs it seems. The season has been cancelled according to the club statement Tigers have lost a million pounds in revenue because of the March and April cancellations. That's a lot of money for the club.

You'd hope the senior players on bigger salaries would set an example and offer to take a 30% hit in order to protect the office and cleaning staff who earn average money and have mortgages etc to pay.

Guy Thompson has confirmed he won't be at Tigers next season. I've heard he has a couple of offers from Championship clubs in player/coach roles but I'd be surprised if he didn't get another Prem contract.

Guy was a rare source of consistent performances for us last season and this season prior to the neck injury. His effort is always superb.

With Thompson and Kalamafoni off I'd realistically hope for another back row signing. Especially given Brink has had injury issues.

I can't see us bringing a big name in. I can see us keeping Coghlan and Boladau in a dual reg with Notts. We've promoted the three development backrowers into the senior squad. They will have to be squad options for next season or its a waste of time keeping them.

6. Liebenburg, Lewis, Lavin
7. Taufua, Reffell, Gough
8. Brink, Coghlan/Boladau, Smith

With Wells capable to stepping in at 6 as well. It's less experience than in prior seasons but both Reffell and Lewis looked capable when they did play. If Lewis continues to fill out he could be quite the mobile unit for us, there's plenty of frame to add muscle too and he's quick.

Would help our salary cap position as well. Free up cash for lock reinforcement and potentially new props if we can't get Gigena back and Dimen and Lines are trusted to be fourth choice.

Re Thompson I feel for him, his interview states that he doesn't have a contract for next season and nothing currently under negotiation with no one picking up phones at the minute. If he can get fit again he's a quality player. Even at 33 though his intention to play 4 more years is a bit ambitious.

My concern there is Brink's fitness. Usually I'm optimistic in these regards but at the very least I hope Tigers have got him for a lower salary given his injury issues. Knee, achilles and nerve problems in his neck and back. If he's taking Guy's place in the squad then fair enough. If it's similar to Kalamafoni's cap then that's the kind of money that Jono Ross is getting at Sale. At full fitness Brink could have that impact but it's a long way off just yet.

Putting cap into the tight 5 is a reasonable move but given Spencer is on a good wage and apparently leaving, along with Polota-Nau and Youngs being paid a lot and out of contract there should already be plenty of space for that purpose. From rumours I've heard of TPN and Youngs current wage I'd honestly hope that signing Mamukashvili and re-signing Tom will only take up as much cap as one of them currently does.

If the final back row signing is a squad player then I'd be hoping for one hell of a signing in the second row or a second signing at hooker even stronger than Mamukashvili. Probably in favour of the former with 4 hookers currently in contract for next season and the impressive Archie Vanes coming through.

I don't think we'll see another hooker. Remember that Genge has had a large payrise as has Ford. That's probably used up TPNs cap allocation when you add in the development lads becoming senior players as well.

We pinched Guy Thompson from Wasps so I don't think he'd have been cheap as his stock had risen quite a bit during his tenure in Coventry. That being said I'm expecting a very good lock to be joining given the cap available. Orie from SA was not the level I was thinking. The big Georgian fella from France, now we're talking or if we could have pried away Kpoku from Sarries. Might even see two locks come in if Wells will cover backrow more often. Though we do have Jordan and Martin coming through.

YBY has had a big pay cut. Whether or not May stays it seems a similar saving will be made on that wing given I can't see a replacement being offered more than May has been.

Gough, Lavin and Smith are still young enough to be academy players if they are under the £30k ceiling. Given Smith is the only one to get first team action this season I'd be surprised if their new contracts were above that to be honest.

Polota-Nau, Spencer, Thompson and Kala out. Plus OTY taking a big paycut from when he last signed. So far we have Mamukashvili and Brink coming in. I'm hoping it's a starting lock to replace Spencer and starting back row to replace Kalamafoni.

Cortes out of contract as well but I really hope his wage is offered to Gigena as an increase. An important squad player to re-sign if we want the scrum to be a weapon.

I'm excited by Brink as he's very physical and covers the back row. If he's been signed as a Kalamafoni replacement on starting XV wages then it's a big gamble though IMO.

I assume a good chunk of the YBY and May reductions plus Thompstone's allocation are being used to bring in Nadolo. Henry is in for McPhillips we assume.

I hope we have enough cash for a quality lock and backrow but I'm not that optimistic. Agree we need to get some extra cash over to Gigena and get him back in the country. He's too good a loosehead to lose over a visa issue.

i wonder if Dean might be interested in a cheeky one for Thompson..back row is our strongest area..but he is a quality player.

GeordieFalcon wrote:i wonder if Dean might be interested in a cheeky one for Thompson..back row is our strongest area..but he is a quality player.

His performance in the crucial Falcons vs Tigers game at the end of last season was sublime. A one man defensive army in a game when two sides were trying their best to prove they deserved relegation more than the other.

If he recovers from this neck injury he should get another contract at a decent club. He's good at reading/adapting to refs as well so could well make a swift move into coaching. He's one of the good Guys.

Isn't there a player/forwards coach going down at Ealing? That would suit him, Coventry might take a punt if the RFU financial stupidity hasn't hit them too hard. They invested in a good backrow for last season and he already lives that way with his business partner also in Coventry. Couple of Tigers old boys on the coaching staff there already.

Steward, Browning and Law re-signed longer term earlier today. Cracking news. I hope to see Steward and Browning in the senior side at points next season.

Browning has had injury issues this season so let's hope he gets chance to make a mark next season. He looks quick and powerful. Law will get his chance but will need to be on his toes with JVP also after more game time.

Steward I hope to see a lot more of. Game time on the wing should be a good opportunity for him next season and with Nadolo coming in as well we need to be using the cross field kick which Fordy loves to good use with those two. Most wingers aren't 6ft4 or bigger in Nadolo's case.

Leicester seem to be bringing through a number of scrumhalves, Harry Simmons, Ben White and now the lad mentioned above. I've heard good things about Jack van Poortvliet too.

Feel free to answer or tell me to bugger off out of your thread, but what sort of players are they? Do they resemble a controlling scrum half like Richard Wigglesworth or a more live-wire one like Joe Simpson. Which of them has the best basics?

Ben White is the leader, proper fiesty little general. He has good all round basics but struggles to bring tempo to the game at times.

Harry Simmons, arrived in the academy as a full back. Naturally skillful player and has played at 15 and on the wing for the first team, think Austin Healey without the mouth. Susceptible to injuries. Could probably play 10 if requires as well. Not as aggressive as White but a live wire when fully fit.

JVP, seems more of a controlling 9. Good box kick, though he tends to wind up to it. Also has a good passing game. Needs to be a little more bolshy and demanding of his forwards. That will come with experience. He plays a bit like Wigglesworth of modern times.

Law I've not seen play yet.

Geordie you're always welcome on this thread.

Thanks for the info, good to know. I've had a bit of a poke around the Tigers website, lot more info on the young players these days. I used to occasionally have a look and you would have no idea really what sort of players they are. Was interested to see that you seem (on the surface) to be developing some big lads in the second row again like Cameron Jordan, George Martin and Tom Manz.

It is genuinely good to see, England need a strong Leicester team.

We revamped the academy in a big way three to four years ago and took it away from the public school biased and frankly inbred set up that was producing very little. The new setup have won the academy league three years on the bounce and I think once in those three years. We're churning out some good players. Problem is we seem to be churning out players in certain positions.

We've got locks and 9s on a production line with Cam Jordan and Sam Lewis (a 6/lock) coming through initially. Lewis being used as a 6 in the first team occasionally as he's very quick for a big lad. Jordan is a bit more physical and a decent all rounder. Manz also appears to be a decent all rounder but him and Martin are a couple of years younger. George Martin is a proper unit with great hands, he missed the 6N for England which I was surprised but there was a little suspension and I think an injury but he would have been back in for any summer tour. Many expect him to be the future Tigers 4. The scrum halfs per above.

Backrow we've had a few come through but none have made it into the first team yet bar Tommy Reffell and well I spose Lewis per above. Another three are due to be promoted to the development squad this year with all three age grade internationals. Ilione is the one to watch there an absolute beast of a blindside. He could make his debut as soon as next season.

A few wingers have come through. We have a set of front row emerging which would help as other than Heyes they had slowed. Centres we are desperate for as we've not had one really come through since Manu. Should be at least one this year with Ollie Smith a goal kicking 13/15 set to progress into the development squad.

Tigers go raiding for age grade talent. Today we have confirmed the signings of;

Dan Kelly - 12/13 - Ireland under 20 formerly in the Sale academy but currently playing for Loughborough Students.

Cameron Henderson - lock - Scotland under 20 last season with Glasgow academy, 19 and 6ft6.

Oliver Chessum - lock - England under 20s training squad this season. Plays for Nottingham in the Championship. 6ft7 so a big lad.

Unsure why we need two more development locks on top of the three we already have plus the at least one that is likely to come up through the academy. I suppose Cameron Jordan will leave the development squad and join the senior squad but we're still not short in that department. I still like the idea of building up the development squad with age grade quality talent to create an environment where the first team are being pushed by young talent coming through. Last season we had arrangements for the entire development team to go and play senior rugby in lower leagues for the first half the season returning in time for the A league.

Cameron Jordan off I reckon.

His name was noticeably absent from the website write up which mentioned Martin and Lewis as promising young locks. I wonder if that means Manz might do a Chessum and be recommended to Nottingham to see if he develops in the Championship environment.

Welly wrote: Cameron Jordan off I reckon.

Any idea where Welly? I always rated Cam when I saw him play.

I can't comment on Kelly or Chessum much to be honest. I've heard of Chessum fleetingly but haven't seen him play in person. I like that we've signed a development centre given few have been coming through recently. Probably means Matt Potts hasn't made the cut for development contracts though.

I saw Henderson play for Stirling against Heriots in the Super 6 earlier this season and have also seen him play for the Scotland age grades. He's one of those young players who seemed to explode in terms of bulk when he hit 18. He seems a talented player. In the Heriots game he was up against a strong pack with Scotland cap Murray McCallum in it and he performed well.

Well only 6/7 players have gotten development contracts from the U18.

On Jordan no idea just a feeling, I don't feel he's bulked up enough for Lock and Prem level, and he's not really a 6.