Captain Jack’s team should have too much for Wasps

IT’S far too early to be talking about Leicester Tigers winning any competition this season, but results so far have served to heighten the expectations of the fan base.

The Premiership Cup is far from the most important silverware on offer, but last week’s performance of a mixed team did confirm that, if nothing else, the whole squad has acquired a winning habit.

At this stage even qualification from the group stage of the cup is in the lap of the gods, not least because no one knows who will be available for the other group games, what the opposition will do and whether the club will take the latter group games seriously.

Speaking to junior members of the coaching team in seasons gone by, there would be a plan as to who they wanted to play (who needed game time, who needed experience, who needed a rest) in the group stages, and then reassess if you’re in the knockouts – once the chance of a trophy appears it becomes tempting to go for it!

That’s very much the case for the Cup at the moment.

Although the, perhaps slightly unexpected, win over Sale has set things up nicely to move forward.

I suppose we should call the Wasps game a local derby, although most fans of all but the most recent vintage would still struggle to really see Wasps as anything other than interlopers in the Midlands.

For the Cup competition, Wasps have decided to take the development route, sending a young side to Newcastle and losing 34–27 and picking an equally inexperienced line-up this week.

Truthfully, given the fixture list – which has been kind to Leicester with a week off next week, while Wasps have a six-day turnaround to their next Premiership game against Gloucester – they have little option in the matter.

Meanwhile, Leicester have the luxury of being able to pick from strength and give players who need it appropriate game time.

To that end Charlie Clare, the hooker who has been long-term injured, makes a welcome return to the starting line-up and reinforces the stretched resources in the position, while elsewhere the team features a nice mix of youth and experience.

Given the youthful nature of the opposition, captain Jack van Poortfliet and his team should have far too much for Wasps.