‘Great blend’ to partnership leading Leicester’s attack

HEAD coach Steve Borthwick has explained how the new partnership leading Leicester Tigers attack will operate, writes Bobby Bridge.

The club’s coaching team was confirmed for the 2021/22 season this week with Richard Wigglesworth being announced as a player/coach.

He will operate alongside Matt Smith, who retired from playing in 2019 after making 228 Tigers appearances, featuring in four Premiership-winning campaigns.

The 35-year-old was Tigers Academy head coach before being promoted to the senior team ahead of last season.

Discussing how the Smith/ Wigglesworth partnership will work, Borthwick, right, said: “It gives a great blend for us.

“Matt’s done really well for us since stepping up from the academy.

“He’s Leicester Tigers through and through, and I think the blend of the two of them is great.

“Wiggy’s understanding about inside backs, Matt’s regarding the outside backs.

“The different personalities that they have, the different strengths that they both bring, and that blend makes sure we can ensure we’ve got really comprehensive coaching, duties.”

After his contract was not renewed at Saracens,

Wigglesworth joined Tigers ahead of the 2020/21 season and made 15 appearances as he became the first player to reach the 300-appearance milestone in the Premiership. “Firstly, Richard Wigglesworth was signed as a player – and I think he’s an exceptional player – and even though now he’s also working part of the coaching team, I still think he’s an exceptional player,” said Borthwick. “So he’ll be competing for that number nine jersey. “That was always the priority, and you saw the impact he had on the field last season.

“He’s also having a big impact off the field.

“When bringing Richard in, did I know his ambitions were to coach?

“Yes, and I think and thought all along he’s going to be a very good coach, yes.

“So I think he’s a great asset here to Leicester Tigers.”

Wigglesworth has already gained plenty of coaching experience at the likes of Ealing Trailfinders and with Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

He will continue on the next step of that journey alongside Borthwick, while competing with Ben Youngs, Jack van Poortvliet and Academy option Jonny Law for game time at scrum-half.

“You can describe Wiggy as an incredible competitor,” said Borthwick.

“When I think you have that trait inside you, I think that certainly helps you as a coach because the next thing with that (is to be) desperate to improve.

“I think I’ve seen that throughout his playing career, the competition, the competitive instinct, a desire to improve, get better, and then I think he has a fantastic understanding of the game.

“You can tell, playing over 300 Premiership games, all the trophies he’s lifted, he’s seen it and done it and led teams through that.

“He adds a lot of strengths as a coach, but I just want to be clear, he’s also still a player here, a very competitive player here at Leicester.”