Borthwick won’t speak about players’ fitness

LEICESTER Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick has stressed he will not discuss players’ fitness and availability in the build-up to matches.

The former England coach, now in sole command at Welford Road following the recent departure of Geordan Murphy, drew a hard line under what he is willing to reveal during Tigers’ media session in the build-up to Sunday’s trip to London Irish at the Brentford community Stadium.

While Tigers kicked off their 2020/21 season with a moraleboosting 38-15 home victory over Gloucester in round one, fresh injuries were picked up, chiefly in the form of prop Facundo Gigena.

The loosehead was substituted shortly after halftime after clashing heads with team-mate Dan cole.

Borthwick, right, revealed post match the Argentina’s cheek bone was “pretty swollen”.

But his fitness remains unknown along with the recoveries of the likes of George

Martin, Jordan Taufua (both knee) and lock Tomas Lavanini (ankle) as well as the well-being of players who were struck down by the covid-19 outbreak that forced a 12-day closure of the club’s Oval Park training ground. When asked for any updates on the squad, Borthwick stopped the question in its tracks by saying: “I will pause you there to say that I don’t talk about players’ fitness or availability. I announce the team when the team is made public.

“We’ve got some players that are working back from covid and we’ve got some players that are working back from injury and we’ve got a couple of players yet to be involved who are recent signings to the club, but I won’t give you details.”

However, he did confirm that Argentinian centre Matias Moroni was in the country and he hopes to see the 29-year-old playing “very soon”.

Borthwick said: “Matias Moroni is in the UK and he is following all the protocols that are set out for arrivals into the UK.

“Once those protocols are all followed he will be able to play – hopefully we will see him on the field very soon.”