A returning master could challenge Sleightholme for top try scorer, while Cheika is tasked with bringing the best out of Leicester Tigers
’s very own rugby union correspondent daring to make predictions for the campaign ahead – including how the table might end up…from nowhere – or Paris, to be precise, where the much-travelled Australian had been living since he left the Argentina job after the 2023 World Cup – with a wonderful CV, including as the only head coach to win the European Cup and Super Rugby.
The Welford Road roar could become an almighty moan, and Jasper Wiese departing is a huge loss but, as Steve Borthwick showed in 2020-21, there is potential for swift success.Broadcasters TNT Sports did a cheeky exercise of asking a top player at each club who they’d sign from elsewhere.’s Tom Curry joked about bringing back Manu Tuilagi from Bayonne, but that pedigree horse has bolted, along with Owen Farrell, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, the Vunipola brothers and others who are in France.
That is, of course, unless a team already on an upward curve goes on an irresistible run. The teams who finished last season with most room for further growth appeared to be Bath, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs., Harlequins, Leicester Tigers and Sarries. And everyone is likely to give a few youngsters a shot, which lifts the unknown-quantity levels.
Exeter had a goal-kicking, match-winning revelation in Henry Slade last season, but he is set to miss the first six rounds of matches – that’s a third of the league season, which will resume after the November international window then has its other main block after the Six Nations, from the end of March to the play-offs in June.
The ban on ‘croc rolls’ was an obvious move, and hopefully it is combined with referees clamping down on all illegal and dangerous clear-outs.You want a one to 10, don’t you? Okay, that’s fine, if we can at least agree it’s a hellish concept? What if Russell falls over at, who are already two centres down at the start, with the injured Max Ojomoh and Cam Redpath? All bets would be off.
There are Lions teams, never mind Premiership ones, who have valued those two hearts of oak in their inner sanctums. Leicester and Saracens are also among those with key players currently on Rugby Championship duty.
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