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'A very good team, a star-studded team and a very expensive one': What Leicester make of cup final opponents Montpellier

By PA
(Photo by PA)

Steve Borthwick is hopeful Leicester follow in the footsteps of the city’s football team by clinching silverware in London – but admitted they are massive underdogs for Friday’s European Challenge Cup final with Montpellier.

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Last Saturday it was Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester who claimed FA Cup glory at Wembley and Borthwick now wants his Tigers to keep the feel-good factor in the area going with victory in Europe’s second-tier tournament in front of 10,000 spectators at Twickenham.

He said: “Congratulations to Leicester City on winning the cup last week, it was brilliant to see. After we finished our game with Harlequins, we managed to catch the end of it on the TV in the groundsman room.

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“We were very happy to see them win and the passion for both the rugby team and football team here is immense. Now cricket is underway and as the weather improves you will see the same for the cricket team I’m sure.”

Following consecutive eleventh-place finishes in the last two Gallagher Premiership seasons, Borthwick’s arrival this term has shifted momentum at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. The Tigers are on course to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup but in Montpellier take on a side who had won eight games in a row before a changed XV lost to Stade Francais last weekend.

“We know we are up against a very good team, a star-studded team and a very expensive one,” Borthwick added. “We go into Friday night as huge underdogs, don’t we? We are going up against a team that is on an incredible run, they are packed with internationals throughout the team and so we go into this as massive underdogs.

“What can we control there? Just how hard we work, the plan and the preparation we do so that is what we will focus on. We go into every game wanting to win. From our point of view, we just need to keep moving our performance level forward and that is what we have consistently tried to do. We know we need to that again this week to get what we want because they are an excellent team so we will have to be at our best.”

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A boost for Leicester will be the backing they will receive at Twickenham with a sizeable amount of those in attendance for the Challenge Cup final expected to be fans from the club. It will also be the first chance Borthwick has had to see them since his appointment last year.

For everyone, it has been a challenging period. We know that over the last year,” the 41-year-old admitted. “We have been fortunate and privileged to do what we do in our jobs and now our supporters who have followed by different methods have the opportunity to cheer on their team, so I’m delighted for them and really looking forward to seeing them in person.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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