Leicester Tigers heading into the New Year in ninth place in the Aviva Premiership table with a whole heap of work to take their place in the playoffs. The top-two finish and semi-final looks fanciful in the extreme.

Premiership defeat 30-6 on New Year’s Eve was their fourth consecutive loss on league front and a home clash with London Irish which becomes a must-win affair and a bonus point is listed on high priorities in the play-off frame. (more…)