Burns knows what it means to be a Tiger says Back
CLUB legend Neil Back believes the arrival of Freddie Burns can help Leicester take the next step to becoming title contenders.
World Cup winner Back, a key figure in Tigers’ golden era of four-consecutive Premiership titles and back-to-back Heineken Cups, sees positive signs so far in Borthwick’s tenure following last week’s 14man comeback to claim a bonus point against Exeter after trailing 28-0.
A second stint for Burns at Leicester will see him paired with George Ford four years on from the swap deal involving the two England 10s which took Ford to Welford Road and Burns to Bath.
Back praised the club’s recruiting department for prising the 30-year-old away from his stay in Japan with Shokki Shuttles.
“This signing will bring in a bit of experience for Steve Borthwick, and it is a great addition for him,” Back told TRP. “You look at the internationals and they are away from almost half of the Premiership season these days.
“Leicester are a relatively inexperienced team; they have got a large number of players who have not been there for two or more seasons as a unit.
“Burns knows what the club is about. He left in 2017 and then went to Bath for three years, he got a different experience down there at The Rec and then has gone to Japan.
“He was liked by the players, coaching staff and the supporters when he was last at Leicester so it has come at the right time for both.”
Back was signed by Leicester after two years at Nottingham and experienced the best of the amateur and professional era over the course of an illustrious 17-year career.
While George Kruis and Alex Goode are keeping Burns company in Japan, and Chris Robshaw now Stateside in Major League Rugby, Back has no regrets he stayed at Welford Road to finish his career.
“I never looked into moving abroad when I was playing,” Back said. “I had two years at Nottingham and then played my whole career at Leicester where I was a player and a coach.
“Early in my career, I was headhunted by St Helens before Union had turned professional. And when Bob Dwyer left Leicester he encouraged me to join Bristol and offered me a hell of a lot of money. But it isn’t always about money, it is about the environment you spend all your time in and the direction the club is going in.
“I didn’t take that decision to go to Bristol and they ended up having a poor year with a lot of new players brought in. I went on to play in two more World Cups, winning one, won four consecutive Premiership titles, back-toback Heineken Cups and went on three Lions tours. For me, it was the right decision.
“In today’s climate, I think things can work out if you happened to go to Japan because it is a much faster game there. The way they play their game in Japan or France can be a good opportunity.”
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