Tigers’ play-off hopes over if Newcastle claim first league win
LEICESTER return to Premiership action at Newcastle tonight having entered (or quite possibly gone beyond) “must win” territory following the disappointing performance last week against Gloucester at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Given the Premiership form of the Cherry and Whites, that was a home banker gone begging.
The two losing league points from the game might yet prove to be crucial, but there is no question that life now becomes very difficult for Dan McKellar’s men.
Newcastle would also be a team that you would normally put your mortgage on for a Leicester win, home or away. A winless Premiership season so far, and under-resourced against the rest of the league, the season has been a thankless one for the Falcons.
However, memories of the Gloucester debacle are still fresh and nothing can be taken for granted.
Add in that Newcastle appointed wily coach Steve Diamond before the Six Nations break and the Falcons might become a slightly different proposition.
It could be fairly asserted that Diamond is not the most popular coach around the opposition, nor probably the press.
However, he does get the best from his players. He is also adept at mind games and has been quick to question the legality of Tigers’ rolling maul that scored three tries last week.
An early shot across the bows of referee Karl Dickson.
As we’ve already noted, this fixture is truly a non-negotiable five point win if Leicester are to have any realistic hopes of making the play-offs. McKellar, below, has therefore presumably picked what he sees as his best line-up subject to availability.
The return of Solomone Kata, after withdrawal from injury last week, is welcome news after he was comfortably Leicester’s most potent threat.
Jasper Wiese also featuring in the back row should provide the Tigers with plentiful front foot ball against Newcastle. A start for Jack van Poortvliet after his cameo last week is no surprise since he brought much needed pace to the breakdown.
Hopefully all those returning from injury will survive Newcastle’s plastic pitch.
The Tigers should have far too much for the Falcons, but that was probably the feeling last week until the contest left the paper and went onto the grass.
If Leicester do succumb and provide Newcastle’s first win in the Premiership, then Tigers’ play-off hopes will effectively be over.
Better defence and effective attack are the order of the day.