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Thursday, 29 August, 2002, 10:17 GMT 11:17 UK
Can Tigers be tamed?
Leeds pull off a stunning coup by beating Leicester 26-13 in their first Premiership match of the season.
Who are you tipping to win the Zurich Premiership?
Hotly tipped to win their fifth straight title, the Tigers had an appalling start to the season with lackluster all-round play straight from the kick-off. England A full-back Dan Scarborough scored twice to help the home side to a 26-13 victory on the opening day's play.
Traditionally slow starters in the league, Leicester will be keen to get their defence back on track. Can anyone halt the Tigers? And who is heading for the drop? This debate is now closed
James Sykes: For those of us who watch & can appreciate both codes, players cannot be filtered into the "wrong code"! Schools in Yorkshire play both codes of rugby so it's up to the individual to pick which they prefer. Jason Robinson started with Union & made his name in League, & supporters of both codes wonder at his talent.
Northampton, new stand, good seconded half last year. There is a buzz about the team - watch out!
As someone recently said "The sleeping giant of English rugby has awoken after a lengthy nap". Gloucester will be the team to watch this year. They were one of the top scoring sides last year, with one of the tightest defences and with a back line to match their strong pack and the Melville/Ryan partnership, I think they will do well assuming they have overcome the away form jinx.
Tigers will win again, but it will be a closer contest. Leeds out played them last week, in every department, maybe they didn't expect them to perform. They won't make the same mistake this season with any team.
As for who goes down, I hope not the Tykes, but it's the closest league in sport, and that's what makes it worth watching. Tykes were lucky last year.
The Zurich Championship is the most open for years and Saracens have a very good chance of finally coming good (no pun intended).
Surely we won't see Leicester play that badly again this season. Like they did last year, they learned from an opening day defeat. Tigers sorted out their problems and steamrollered their way to a fourth straight title.
After just 80 minutes of rugby (88 if you were at London Irish on Sunday) it's too early to see whether the Tigers woes on Saturday were just a blip or the start of the slide down the slippery slope.
Leicester were poor on Saturday but give credit to Leeds, that was their best performance in ages, and they at last looked competent. To often last season, they made stupid mistakes but at last they appear to be playing a percentage game when required. Mid-table slot beckons! Leeds' win at the weekend was a sign of things to come! Leicester will probably win the league again this term, but that's all rather uninteresting.
The one thing that matters to the future of English rugby is that there is a Premiership side in every region. If the matches don't proved decisive (which I think they will), then we will see the RFU relegating one of the London or West Country sides to National One. England rugby needs a team playing out of Yorkshire, where there is an abundance of young rugby talent being channelled into the wrong code...
Leeds' win on Saturday was a fluke and everyone knows it. Any talk of a Leicester demise is absurd. The team simply played a poor game against limited, if determined, opposition.
Leicester will very probably win the title again, with a challenge coming potentially from Gloucester, Northampton and, possibly, Saracens. Hopefully the Leeds outfit will resume its rightful place next year in Division Two.
Judging by the reports, it seems that the standard of rugby was very high, the matches well attended, and the signs good for the future of English rugby. How can people realistically suggest that Austin Healey be England captain? The man lives in his own little world and does not consider the greater picture.
Leicester's dominance will not finish this year. However, it is starting to slide. Maybe not this year but the next they will be under serious threat from other teams.
Watching Newcastle v Wasps yesterday I was struck with a sense of despare for Newcastle. Unless they get a front row worthy of the young back line then they will forever be resigned to mid-table mediocrity.
Everyone seems to be talking about Leicester, London Irish and Gloucester. With their summer signings and a new sense of optimism at the club, you would be foolish to rule out Saracens. It's time for the Fez Boys to show the way...and we will.
The Tigers will win the Premiership again. They have the forward power to beat teams alone. However, Wasps are stronger this year, as are Gloucester and Northampton. It should be a close race. This is going to be a great season of rugby where away wins will be a rare and valued commodity. Gloucester's win at The Stoop in that context is a very good sign for the Cherry and Whites, just as Leicester's result against Leeds should send the alarm bells ringing at Welford Road.
I think Gloucester, Saints and Wasps are the sides to to be there at the end with Bath and Newcastle sharing bottom place. Once Leicester start believing this hype of being unstoppable, they will start to lose. Their success is built on relentless pursuit of victory at any cost (remember Neil Back in the Heineken Cup?). They have a superb side but must not forget that winning takes more than them just showing up.
I'm looking forward to a more competitive season this year!
When a team plays pretty average rugby for most of the season and still finishes 14 points above the rest, you begin to see the size of the task for the rest. Andy Goode is a big loss, but an impressive new signing is Tom Tierney - a player who has already had an impressive pre season. Sale and Gloucester have the attractive flowing rugby, Irish have the grit and sound defence, but only Leicester have EVERYTHING in abundance.
Oh, and I haven't mentioned the main reason behind Leicester's success yet - yes, Austin Healey! A future England captain surely!!
As a Leicester supporter I may be a bit partial, but right now there is no team with the consistency or ability to grind out a result even when not playing well. Gloucester are probably the only side coming close, but it's another title for Leicester. As a long time Tigers supporter one obviously hopes that the incredible run of the last four years will continue. The signing of Franck Tournaire may prove a crucial factor in this respect, particularly in Europe where there has been a question mark over Leicester's scrummaging power for some time now. As far as the league is concerned, Leicester's start to the campaign will be critical. If their results are poor in the period leading up to the autumn internationals, Test call ups and the 32 match per player limit could count heavily against them in the second half of the season.
It would also be foolish to discount London Irish, Gloucester and Sale, all of whom appear to have continued their steady progress with some astute summer signings. With a fit Dallaglio working in tandem with Howley, Wasps could be a good bet for the play-offs.
Leicester will continue to dominate this season, which is bad news for club rugby in England. Leicester play a forwards-based game and their backs are mainly good tacklers rather than attackers, with the exception of Austin Healey.
It would be better for the popularity of rugby if a team with a more dynamic back line - such as Sale or Saracens - won the League.
Leicester will win the Premiership, but it will be a lot closer than last season - especially with the injury problems they have. Both Wasps and Gloucester will push them all the way, especially if Howley is at his best with Lawrence back as well. Only Leicester can win it, but I don't think that they will run away with it this year like they have previously, because of the International duties for their players. They used to have players like Lewis Moody filling in for Neil Back, but now those 'youngsters' are good enough to fit in the England squad as well.
Hopefully though, Sale Sharkes will continue their progression and challenge Leicester, especially with the league's (and probably world's) most exciting player - Jason Robinson - leading the try count!
I think this year is a likely time for Leicester to fall, I think Irish and Sale are the real contenders. Irish have such a resilient defence and their attack is a prolific one. Sale just have out and out pace which has destroyed many teams' defences. Leiciester need to really to look at their defence - last season they gave away too many foolish points. That needs to improve, as Sale and Irish's hunger grows ever stronger!
It won't be Leicester's season, it will be one of the closest fought battles in rugby for years! Roll on season 2002/03!
With the talent pouring through and such depth in the Tigers ranks, I see no other outcome than another Premiership title. I do hope to see the gap closing and I fully expect to see the likes of Bath Rugby getting right back up there with the best having had such a shocker - largely due to the loss of the legendary Catty.
Being Welsh and a Scarlets fan, I'd love to see everyone topple the Tigers. But that's very unlikely.
Having spoken to some Leicester supporters over the last year, I gather that their youth system is superior to any other in England, and if they carry on producing such talent as Harry Ellis and Lewis Moody every season, I can't see anyone conquering Leicester for seasons to come.
Of course the 'Tigers' will be toppled, maybe not in the ZP but certainly in the Heineken Cup. One's luck only lasts so long, with or without Neil Back.
I can't really see anybody toppling the tigers, but it would be nice to see Bath up there challenging this year. The Tigers will continue to be up there at the top for the foreseeable future, although I'm sure two or three clubs will give them a run for their money. Even so, rugby union is one of the fastest changing sports around - just look at how rules, professionalism and international signings have altered the game in the last 10 years. Bath and Harlequins, both legendary teams, are examples of how little tradition means in this modern game if you can't keep up with the new boys. Leicester (and Deano) have done well to stay at the top throughout everything, but how long this dominance will last is anybody's guess.
Being a die-hard Tigers fan I will say forever, but I shudder at the Manchester United comparisons.
After watching most of the Tigers' Premiership and Heineken Cup matches at Welford Road last season I've got to say that I don't give anybody else a chance this season. I fancy a double again, which is fine by me.
Only true teams with a sense of unity and togetherness are going to have the capability to overturn Leicester. Irish have that, but whether they have enough big guns within that team remains to be seen. Gloucester are there or thereabouts - Nigel Melville will be excellent for them with a full season.
It is probably a year too soon for Northampton. But the real potential champions will come from the Wycombe hot-bed(?) of rugby. Wasps with a fully fit Howley and Dallaglio will have the team, the big guns and the inspiration.
As a big Gloucester fan, I'm hoping for great things, especially if we can shake off last season's inconsistencies. However, if we don't win it then it's going to be Leicester, with Northampton doing much better than last year.
I believe the Tigers can do it.
The Tigers look unstoppable, but maybe their domination over the sport is drawing to a close. Watch out for inconsistency in their play, as there is the question of whether the backs can match the forwards, especially with the loss of Andy Goode.
That said the Tigers' pack is good enough to beat teams on its own. Northampton, Gloucester and London Irish to challenge, with Leeds facing the drop.
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