Borthwick: Tigers lost their way but we’re rebuilding

LEICESTER have won just two games since Steve Borthwick arrived in July but the new head coach believes his side have “made strides” since his arrival.

Tigers will finish 11th in the Premiership table for the second season running, with only Saracens – docked 105 points for breaking salary cap rules – below them.

Borthwick, below, who left his role in the England coaching set-up to join Tigers says he is “rebuilding” the club “almost completely”.

“For a period of time, several years, there has been a period of decline, and we are trying to arrest that,” Borthwick said.

“Part of that is building a squad. Part of it is recruitment, and then once you have the players, you have to try to get them to understand each other and build combinations together. What we’ve tried to do is build and test different combinations.

“Am I clear about the journey we’re on, the priorities we have? Yes. Does that happen overnight? No. We’ve got lots of work to do, and I know everyone here is invested in the role.”

He added: “This is a great club that has lost its way, and lost its way very, very badly. What we need to ensure is that we get it on the right path, and that is what we are trying to do each day.”

Leicester won four Premiership titles in seven seasons between 2007 and 2013 but the 2016-17 campaign was the most recent occasion they reached a Premiership semi-final.

Tigers did reach the last four of the European Challenge Cup, but lost their semi-final to French club Toulon.

“I know much more about our players, and our strengths and weaknesses,” 40-year-old Borthwick added.

“As a coach you always want more progress. I think we’ve made strides in some areas, and in other areas we need to accelerate the growth.”