LEICESTER TIGERS 2023/24 - Crocodile McKeller: Men at Work

[Wes]

Agreed, we had no attack with WW as player-coach, coach or England with him as attack coach. Saracens were also a pretty dire attacking team with him there. Can't recall his Sale days but I also watched him in one of his last games against Bath at the rec on a Friday evening, kick the ball back to Bath several times until they managed to score in the last minute of play to win the game. Genuinely don't see what he adds in attack.

[jgriffin]

Chris Foy gets stuff right most of the time - he is no Fissler or Ruck.

[AViewFromLe2]

Just to add more confusion about DMK possibly going for the Australian job the Mail have published this - RW possibly returning??? Sir Kev leaving England - would he come back with RW as a package??? I don't know but I am more than happy to give any coach some time to prove his worth and don't want a change at this stage.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... d-Cup.html

Firstly it's by Chris Foy, he's well respected and has good contacts, unlike some reporters in the news section of that paper, I fully expect he's done homework.

The article is talking about us talking to him, which is certainly a sensible step and I expect we're talking to McKellar also.

Personally I'd happily take both Wigglesworth and Sinfield back, I'd also want to keep McKellar.

My thinking would be Wigglesworth as attack, replacing Dickens then bring Sinfield as a consultant coach allow him more time with family and for charity.

However odds of all three plus keeping Everard are probably slim to none, but lets see.

Key to me is we are planning for any eventuality even if it doesn't occur...

Nowhere in the articles does it mention that we have spoken to Wigglesworth. It says that Senior Management are concerned that McKellar might leave - understandable, as until Australia actually make an appointment, it could still be McKellar. Indeed Rugby Australia may find the money to buy him out - however likely/unlikely that may be. It then says that Wiggy may be tempted back if asked - well that may or may not be true, but it is pure speculation. There is certainly no mention that we have spoken with Wiggy about a return.

Indeed the entire point of the article is that Felix Jones has not been given a job title yet of what Steve wants him to do, meaning Wiggy's & Sinfield's noses are probably out of joint as either or both are vulnerable to being asked to leave. The link to us is tenuous and is probably there to pad the article out. Whilst i agree Foy is well-sourced at Tigers and a reliable writer, there is no proper story in the article about us.

As for Wiggy, i agree with comments about having his hands tied by Steve regarding the attack. Steve is a good coach and good at many things, however it is of no surprise that as soon as he left, we started playing a bit more rugby. I would welcome Wiggy back as an Attack Coach if he wanted to come back and there was a vacancy for the role. I think under McKellar he would get better reception for his ideas than under Steve. I actually think we were not as one dimensional under Wiggy as many say we were, but it is in the past now.

[ay2oh]

Agree with everything you say but whether we could afford another coach is questionable particularly as we still appear to be making people redundant .

[Pellsey]

IMHO judging on the last few performances, we need to go back to basics - improve ball retention, catching, and defence etc. Having a good attack would be nice, but doing the basics properly and having a good defence surely has to be the start?

[RagingBull]

Agreed, we had no attack with WW as player-coach, coach or England with him as attack coach. Saracens were also a pretty dire attacking team with him there. Can't recall his Sale days but I also watched him in one of his last games against Bath at the rec on a Friday evening, kick the ball back to Bath several times until they managed to score in the last minute of play to win the game. Genuinely don't see what he adds in attack.

Yeh England as did Tigers for the majority of his tenure but who was the head coach?

In the second half of the season once January was over we went
24-18 (3T's) W
22-25 (3T's) W
48-27 (6T's) W
5-26 (4T's) W
46-25 (6T's) W
62-19 (9T's) W
17-20 (2T's) L
6 wins, 1 lost, 33 Tries,

Saracens I mean Wigglesworth was with them for 10 years and in the later period their attack was prob the most efficient in the league.
Sale I mean they won the league with him in which Sale scored 4 tries and 45 points and scored 52 tries in that season (More than we did)

So I feel that like he certainly has the credentials, more than what people are giving him credit. IDK if he would've made it long term as head coach but that last half of last season was the best rugby we had played in a long time
Borthwick clearly has a style of play that is more 10 man it was obvious

[Tigers86asw]

Chris Foy gets stuff right most of the time - he is no Fissler or Ruck.

Agreed. I think it’s clear Sinfield will leave but not sure about WW.

[sam16111986]

Chris Foy gets stuff right most of the time - he is no Fissler or Ruck.

Agreed. I think it’s clear Sinfield will leave but not sure about WW.

I'm not so sure. The article in the Telegraph that started the rumour included it as a throw away comment, the South African defence coach is coming in so it seems likely Sinfield will go. Jones did more than just the defence coach at the Boks and was their attack coach before then. Personally I think Borthwick will want this to be the settled coaching set up now.

[Hot_Charlie]

Chris Foy gets stuff right most of the time - he is no Fissler or Ruck.

Agreed. I think it’s clear Sinfield will leave but not sure about WW.

All the noises suggest he's probably moving away from union.

[Tigers86asw]

Chris Foy gets stuff right most of the time - he is no Fissler or Ruck.

Agreed. I think it’s clear Sinfield will leave but not sure about WW.

I'm not so sure. The article in the Telegraph that started the rumour included it as a throw away comment, the South African defence coach is coming in so it seems likely Sinfield will go. Jones did more than just the defence coach at the Boks and was their attack coach before then. Personally I think Borthwick will want this to be the settled coaching set up now.

Wasn’t a throw away comment about Sinfield from what I read. It also had another article afterwards saying he was going. Seemed to be briefed by the RFU that it was just a matter of when.

[sam16111986]

Agreed. I think it’s clear Sinfield will leave but not sure about WW.

I'm not so sure. The article in the Telegraph that started the rumour included it as a throw away comment, the South African defence coach is coming in so it seems likely Sinfield will go. Jones did more than just the defence coach at the Boks and was their attack coach before then. Personally I think Borthwick will want this to be the settled coaching set up now.

Wasn’t a throw away comment about Sinfield from what I read. It also had another article afterwards saying he was going. Seemed to be briefed by the RFU that it was just a matter of when.

I must have missed the second but the first was definitely a throw away comment and came shortly before an article dismissing Sinfield's defence tactics (which proved somewhat foolish after the performance Vs the Boks).

Sinfield may go but I don't think it's the Borthwick plan for him to do so nor was it the plan when Felix Jones was hired.

[Old Hob]

Sir Kev said he was troubled by impostor syndrome when he came to us; for all his physical toughness could he be unsettled by the harsh criticism he received during the WC?

[CrumblingTerrace]

WW is a highly regarded coach. I'd love to see him back here, albeit with the challenge to be more expansive under DMK (because I think other team's worked out Borthwick's limited game plan after our title-winning season).

Sir Kev is just an inspirational guy. He's perhaps been promoted above his (coaching) station - it's a shame it's not possible to have him as one of the assistant coaches and the players seem to love him.

[Wes]

Reading the posts above, there seems some doubt over whether KS is leaving England? I thought that was an absolute with it already announced?

[sam16111986]

Reading the posts above, there seems some doubt over whether KS is leaving England? I thought that was an absolute with it already announced?

It's just paper talk so far. Paper talk that hasn't been openly denied by the RFU, Borthwick or Sinfield though.

I'd expect any announcements to be at the start of January before the 6N squad is announced.