The Tigers have been sharpening their claws for Sunday’s visit of Bath after a scratchy start to the season. They may have started the weekend in fourth place, but their two victories came through a last-minute try at Gloucester and a missed drop goal in front of the posts by the Newcastle outside-half Joel Hodgson last weekend.
Bath have only won once at Leicester in the Premiership, back in 2003, but when they travelled to another East Midlands club, Northampton, on the opening weekend of the season, their single victory there in the tournament had been in 2000. They won 18-14 and home victories over Newcastle and Worcester took them to the top of the table after three rounds.
“Bath are riding high and playing a good brand of rugby,” says the Leicester and England scrum-half, Ben Youngs. “It will be a good challenge for us given that our level of performances so far have not been what we expect. We may have two victories in three games but it could easily have been nought out of three given that we were 31-7 down at Gloucester at one stage and Newcastle had a late chance to beat us.
“It has been a frustrating start. We have only played really good rugby in the final 20 minutes at Gloucester, failing to bring it into the next two games against Wasps and Newcastle when we were off it in all areas. We are looking for a reaction against Bath and kick-starting our season by playing the rugby we know we are capable of and which is expected of us.”
Leicester lost their opening home match to Wasps. It is five years since they lost two in a row in the Premiership at Welford Road, a period when they were below strength because of a World Cup held in New Zealand, and there is no sense of panic at a club that prides itself on consistency.
“Little things have been having a massive effect on performances and hurting us,” says Youngs. “We carried the ball 68 times at Newcastle and were turned over on 17 occasions. That is unacceptable. We have changed our style since the arrival of [head coach] Aaron Mauger last season and mistakes are happening because we are trying to play expansively. It comes down to decision-making: playing the ball two metres from your own goal-line is maybe not the time to be doing it. It is about awareness and we are learning, definitely heading in the right direction.”
Youngs was on the bench for the first two matches of the campaign as Leicester eased him back following his six-week break after England’s triumphant summer tour to Australia. “The coaches told me they would integrate me back slowly and for some players it will be another long season with the Lions tour to New Zealand at the end of it, a giant carrot we all want a bite of,” he says. “There is competition at scrum-half at Leicester where Sam Harrison has been outstanding and England where Dan Robson, a player I rate highly, is in the mix. When you get your chance, you have to play well.”
A year ago, England lost to Wales in the World Cup at Twickenham, crashing out of the tournament when they flopped against Australia a week later. Since then, they have won all 10 of their internationals, clinching a grand slam and a whitewash series victory Down Under.
“I am not sure I would have believed it if someone had said after Australia knocked us out of the World Cup that we would be going into the autumn series not having lost since then,” says Youngs, who has started seven of the nine Tests under England head coach Eddie Jones, including all three against the Wallabies. “It was intensely disappointing a year ago but this year we have shown the potential we have and how competitive we can be as a side. The average age of the squad is young and we are building momentum.
“Eddie gives players confidence and is very clear about his gameplan, going out to attack teams and take them on. He has a huge amount of experience having coached at the top level for a long time and his clarity makes everything easy to buy into: you know it will work and it is just about executing things.
“It has been a very enjoyable period and it is an exciting time for England. We enjoyed great success last season, but this is a new start. Australia and South Africa may not have performed in the Rugby Championship at the level they expected, but they will provide real tests at Twickenham. Everyone relishes playing at Twickenham and it is another big year for us.”