FREDDIE STEADY GO

Steward: Tigers chasing our fairy-tale ending... after losing FIVE coaches

FREDDIE STEWARD says winning the Premiership would be more special for Leicester this season than last – due to the upheaval caused by England nicking their coaches.

Tigers, who travel to Sale for today’s semi-final, were crowned English champions a year ago, for the first time since 2013.

But success came at a price as head coach Steve Borthwick and his assistant Kevin Sinfield were chosen by England in mid-season to replace sacked Eddie Jones.

No sooner had Richard Wigglesworth and Aled Waters stepped up to fill their shoes than England came calling again to sign those two up as well.

Last week’s hiring of scrum coach Tom Harrison means Leicester will have lost FIVE coaches by the end of this tumultuous campaign. “Last season was an incredible journey,” said England full-back Steward (right). “But given the roller-coaster that this season has been, it would be a fairy-tale ending if it were to finish at Twickenham.”

Leicester suffered three straight defeats after Borthwick’s departure, and interim boss Wigglesworth admits that he questioned his decision to take the job – before steadying the ship impressively and setting it on course for the play-offs.

Steward said: “When the initial [Borthwick] announcement was made, there was a bit of shock and frustration – probably a lot of emotions, I think, from the players. But that’s natural when you lose your head coach and your defence coach – it’s not going to be all smiles, happy and get on with it.

“It took us a couple of weeks, but part of that was because we were probably a bit hung up on it.

“But to have seen the response since – the mental resilience to not roll over, give in and accept it – and the way this playing group has battled through that to be where we are now, is a phenomenal achievement.”

For Tigers to take the final step to Twickenham, they will need to get the better of George Ford, the brains behind their title win a year ago. The England fly-half is piloting the Sale team which finished the regular season 10 points clear of Leicester, after beating them home and away.

But Ben Youngs, his former half-back partner, warned: “We are going up there full of intent to win. No team wants to give away the title, no team wants to lose a semi-final. We have a clear game plan.”