First home game of the season, sunshine weather forecast, this is what we’ve been waiting for.
After a pseudo-home game last weekend – when Tigers took over most of the Kassam Stadium and apparently most of the roads outside – it’s the real thing this Saturday for a Welford Road return against Worcester Warriors.
The Warriors have been in the battle at the wrong end of the table in recent seasons, but they always seem to put up a massive fight at Welford Road.
They are usually big and awkward, with the added dazzle of guys like Marcel Garvey or Miles Benjamin. Both have since moved on, in Benjamin’s case trading Warriors for Tigers, but The Tig has been hearing some good stuff about their new recruits.
At the same time, the opening home game always produces a tingle in the Tigers Family. We’ll be ready to welcome Geordan, whose impish grin and good humour still singles him out as a ‘young un’ despite making his debut back in the pre-live TV days of 1997; and there’ll be a big reception too for the core of the squad, guys like Coley, Castro, Toby, Geoff Parling, Manu and Ant Allen.
Most of the new arrivals are waiting for their turn – they might get it on Monday night in the ‘A’ League – but Niki Goneva made a big impression in the match against Nottingham in pre-season and he already looks like becoming a big favourite.
Tigers In The Park will provide the appetiser, Tigers on the pitch will produce the main course.
It couldn’t get sweeter than this.
Smoke On The Water, Fire In The Sky
