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Leicester Tigers wants quality signings, says Cockerill

Richard Cockerill, the Director of Rugby of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club the Leicester Tigers has ruled out the signing of any journeyman players ahead of the new season just to make up the numbers. The Tigers announced a deal to sign young fly half Owen Williams just a few weeks back from the Welsh side the Llaneli Scarlets. He mentioned that the reality is such that even the reserves in several key positions will have to play a lot of rugby, and as a result, not any and every player will do.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Cockerill stated that the team needs to cover all the bases. Even the second or third choice players in any position in the squad have to very good and they cannot just be a journeyman player brought in to just make up the numbers in the squad. The Leicester Tigers boss went on to state that they need players who can play at the very top level week in and week out, both in the Heineken Cup as well as the Aviva Premiership.

The club announced a couple of month back that Graham Ford, the club’s fly half would not be at the club in the new season and he has agreed a new deal with Bath Rugby and have already brought in the likes of Williams as well as Ryan Lamb, the number 10 from the Northampton Saints as his replacements for the new season at Welford Road.

Cockerill mentioned they wanted someone with the caliber of Ford, but only younger and Williams has all the attributes one requires to succeed at the very top level of rugby being a brilliant goal kicker and with the time he will have at the Leicester Tigers, he will develop really quickly.

Chuter future with Leicester Tigers uncertain

Former England international hooker George Chuter looks almost certain to leave the Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club the Leicester Tigers at the end of the current season, with his contract with the club coming to an end in the summer, and no talk of a new contract.

The 36 year old joined the ranks of the record winners of the Aviva Premiership almost 13 years back in 2000 and has been part of the greatest spell of the club, but he stated that talks over a new contract are yet to get underway. Continue reading » Chuter future with Leicester Tigers uncertain

Youngs hails Leicester Tigers fans

Tom Youngs showered praise on an amazing Welford Road crowd in their Heineken Cup match against French power house club Toulouse over the weekend and stated that their roar was enough for the Leicester Tigers to push into the quarter finals of the prestigious tournament. The Aviva Premiership Rugby Football Union club overcame a strong opposition in the form of the French club in their last pool match of the biggest club competition for rugby clubs in Europe in a pulsating match in which, three penalties from Toby Flood saw them win 9-5 and creep into the quarter finals stages.

There was a packed crowd present in sub zero temperatures with incessant snowfall, one of the biggest recorded in the history of England and Youngs stated that the constant roar of the home crowd was inspiration enough for the players to give it their all in the match. Toulouse had around 100 fans making the trip across the English Channel which left Welford Road with more than 24,000 Leicester Tigers fans and the roar of the crowd after the match with The Tigers qualifying for the knockout stages was deafening to the ears.

The Tigers and England international hooker stated that he doesn’t think he has heard the crowd shout so loudly and added that the crowd had been absolutely fantastic. He also hailed a masterstroke from Richard Cockerill, the Director of Rugby of the club who called on the fans over the previous weekend to come out in numbers and support the team.

The win against the French champions means the Leicester Tigers will take on the big spending Toulon side in the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup away from home in what is set to be the tie of the knockout stages with a place in the last four at stake.

Tigers boss hails victory over Treviso

When the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union club the Leicester Tigers travelled to Treviso in Italy, they had only one thing in mind – a repeat of last weekend’s success where they managed a bonus point win over the Italian side. But things didn’t turn out as planned and the record champions of the Premiership barely managed to come back from a losing position to secure a 14-13 victory over the stubborn Italians, as they managed to close the gap at the top of Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup with Toulouse losing their match to the high flying Welsh club Ospreys.

And the Director of Rugby of the club Richard Cockerill has admitted that he doesn’t care about losing the bonus point, all he cares about is the win and is extremely glad that his charges managed to come from behind and secure an all important win, which is extremely significant now that Toulouse have also lost their match. The Leicester Tigers failed to dominate the game and were missing in action for much of the action before a lucky break landed them a penalty towards the end and the penalty try was enough for them to secure victory.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Leicester boss stated that he was extremely relieved and satisfied because his boys managed to come away with the win and that is the most important thing at this point in the competition. He added that Treviso played brilliantly and made his players work hard and deserved a round of applause for their efforts.

The Leicester Tigers boss admitted that his boys struggled to get going really and hinted at the negative effect the referee had on the game as well, but all in all, he couldn’t have asked for more as they came back with the win.

Tigers Hopeful of Croft Return from Injury

Richard Cockerill, the Director of Rugby of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union club the Leicester Tigers is hopeful that flanker Tom Croft will return from injury within a month. Croft has been out of action for quite some time and has missed the England national team’s summer tour of South Africa as well as The Tigers’ opening six games at the start of the new season of the Aviva Premiership after suffering a neck injury in late April.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Cockerill told that his player has had some repeat scans to ascertain how his vertebrae is healing and added that if the results come out says positive as the medical staff of the club expect, he can start light training and could be in line to return to action within the next three to four weeks. The Leicester Tigers have started the new season of the Premiership strongly and as always, are already being touted as potential playoff favorites as well as the favorites to life the trophy at the end of the season and with several key players returning from injury, the team is expecting to go on a strong run.

If he is given the all clear by the medical staff of the club, Croft could be in line to making his first match of the season against Gloucester Rugby on the 27th of October. However, it is expected that the autumn internationals for the England national team against Fiji that start on the10th of November will come too soon for him to feature.

The Leicester Tigers take on the French side Toulouse in the Heineken Cup this weekend and Cockerill is hopeful that the club will do well on the European front as well, now that most of his key players are back in the side.

Salvi Ready to put his Body on the Line

Julian Salvi, the full back for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Leicester Tigers will be more than happy to put his body on the line for the cause of the team when the record Premiership champions take on Worcester Warriors on Saturday, the 8th of September in the second match day of the new season of the Premiership. The 26 year old from Australia is expected to be given his second start for The Tigers in the new season of the Premiership when The Warriors travel down to Welford Road for the match.

Just this week, Ben Woods, his fellow back rower announced his retirement from the game at the tender age of 30 years thanks to a problematic broken wrist and Salvi has given the fans a stark insight into the brutal life that an open-side flanker faces in the game and how to survive it. Speaking about his position, Salvi stated that as an open-side flanker, one has to put his head down when going in for the ball and there are bodies and knees flying in each and every direction.

He went on to add that when he gets up, he is just happy to have survived that play and then puts his head down again for the next one. Surviving an 80 minute match means the world to a player in his position. The Leicester Tigers added that he was disappointed to see ‘Woody’ retire at such an untimely age but it’s one of those positions where the players have to grind it out every time and it’s all about luck.

Many open-side flankers retired in recent times, with Be Herring of the Leicester Tigers being the most notable, but Salvi accepts all there is to the position and still is determined to give it his all.