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Rugby News

Borthwick: We must continue to adapt

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Steve Borthwick is looking to his players, coaches and the club's supporters to adapt as challenges continue to come as the Gallagher Premiership season reaches the halfway point on Sunday afternoon.

Injuries, suspension and the continued caution required in the community due to COVID-19 have seen disruptions in the Leicester ranks in recent weeks.

However, the Tigers Head Coach says nobody at the club is "complaining" as they understand the "privileged position" they are in.

Speaking at the club's Oval Park training base in the build-up to the Round 13 trip to Coventry to play Wasps, Borthwick said: "I think everybody is in some way affected by the pandemic at the moment, in rugby or the wider community, in the sense of how you have to conduct yourself.

"We conduct meetings differently, training programmes are set out in new ways and there is an added layer of detail on all that we do in preparing for matchday.

"It's not the way you do it normally, but it's the way you've got to do it now ... it's a challenging time for everybody.

"But, let me be clear, we know the privileged position we are in and so are not going to complain about it.

"To do what we do, especially in being able to represent Leicester Tigers and our supporters, it is a great privilege and this group of players, coaches and staff understand that we just have to adapt."

Tigers travel to Coventry in Round 13 and Borthwick himself has been forced to adapt selection for a second successive week, with players missing, and named outside-back Kini Murimurivalu as a forward on his bench.

"To do what we do, especially in being able to represent Leicester Tigers and our supporters, it is a great privilege and this group of players, coaches and staff understand that we just have to adapt"

For the Leicester boss, it's just another challenge for the group to face together.

"Last weekend a player dropped out on match day, through circumstances we could not have foreseen, and so I went to Kini and asked him to join the bench in a unique role," said Borthwick.

"He jumped at the chance, with that big smile on his face we love to see from Kini.

"That's a good attitude to have, and that's one I want us to continue to have."

The next challenge for Tigers is a Wasps team who are welcoming back experience in their ranks on Sunday afternoon.

Previewing the trip to Coventry, Borthwick added: "The great thing about the Gallagher Premiership is that you are presented with different challenges every week and, on Sunday, we have a new challenge ahead of us as a group.

"Wasps are a team who are capable of scoring points from anywhere on the pitch.

"Their squad is filled with talented players, who want to move the ball, and are starting to welcome back experienced players in their ranks now.

"I have said it before and will say it again, our focus is on the next game and the performance we put out and ensuring it is one we can proud of, one our supporters can be proud of come full-time on Sunday afternoon."