GETTING ME DOWN
No wins in two months, the worst defence, three points off the bottom, Leicester’s Jonny May admits it’s…
LEICESTER are in crisis mode and Jonny May is in no mood to sugar-coat the situation.
It has been a week of inquests and home truths since the visit to Bristol last Saturday ended in a 41-10 drubbing. That is not the sort of indignity mighty Leicester can tolerate and it is certainly not what May signed up for when he made a sudden move to Welford Road from Gloucester before the start of last season.
While the 28-year- old’s former club are thriving under the astute guidance of Johan Ackermann, the Tigers are in turmoil, with Geordan Murphy struggling to halt their slump.
As they prepare for a daunting Heineken Champions Cup showdown with last season’s losing finalists Racing 92 in Paris tomorrow, May has offered a frank view of Leicester’s predicament.
The defeat at Bristol was a sixth in succession and he said: ‘We felt pretty low after that. It was pretty dark. We’ve had a few honest conversations. You stew over it and it gets you down. It’s always at the back of your mind. It’s like a big elephant stomping around.
‘Of course it bothers me. I came here from Gloucester to win things. This week we had to say, “Let’s stop thinking we’re something we’re not”. If we keep doing that, we’re not going to get better. Let’s park those expectations. It’st bbrilliantillit tto thithink,k “We’re ththe Leicester Tigers, we’re going to go out and win every week”, but we’re not that at the moment. Let’s not kid ourselves.’
May had his own grim ordeal at Ashton Gate seven days ago as Bristol wing Luke Morahan stepped around him and left the rapid runner in his wake on the way to a superb solo try.
May made no attempt to deflect his share of the blame but suggested there are more profound issues to address — urgently.
‘It’s a tackle I’d expect to make,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t a fine moment for me but there was more to it than that. We didn’t really show much. We didn’t throw any punches, then it’s 40 points down.
‘It’s not a fluke that’s happened. You have to realise things haven’t been good enough for a while and it’s come to a head. A performance like that doesn’t happen off the back of brilliant prep. We had lost five games before that one.
‘ We’ve had a tough season, losing our coach. Geordie (Murphy) came in. We had an emotionaltil rallyll bbutt ththat’st worn off a little bit. Now it’s hit home where we’re at.
‘It’s certainly not the quality of personnel. We’re conceding too many points in defence and we’re not finding much in attack, either. We need to strip it right back and find something.’
The post-mortems have also been taking place beyond the confines of the squad and Murphy’s management team. Leicester’s hierarchy are hurriedly trying to find a way out of the downward spiral, while coming in for fierce criticism from fans.
Murphy appears to have the backing of the board and May voiced his support, too, but implied that some players are less convinced about the latest troubled Tigers regime.
‘I 100 per cent think Geordie’s the man for the job,’ said May. ‘This is new for him. He’s come in and probably inherited a team that wasn’t good enough last year. The coaches provide us with brilliant messages and everything we need. Maybe some players don’t (agree). Some players might think they need help.
‘We want to find a few principles to hang our hat on, which have been absent. Why are we not producing on the weekend? Players have got to up it but it’s more than just that. We need to come together better as a team.’
May was asked to address the uncomfortable fact that Leicester are being dragged into unfamiliar territory in the lower reaches of the Premiership. He was adamant the shock prospect of relegation had not even entered the minds of those at the eye of this storm. He is convinced a defiant display in Paris tomorrow could help reignite their season.
Leicester sit second in Pool 4 after one win from their first two games. Spring an upset and they could overtake leaders Racing.
‘We might have a really good crack at Racing and everyone says, “There’s the old Leicester”,’ said May.
‘ We’re well aware we’re the underdogs but we really care about the performance. We want something to build on.’
They say identifying a problem is half the problem solved. If everyone at Leicester is as honest as May and as unwilling to hide away from the predicament they find themselves in, they will surely find a way out of it. There will certainly be no hiding place tomorrow.
The Tigers need their bite back or another mauling awaits.