Leicester Tigers can confirm the Premiership Rugby Cup coaching team ahead of the club’s opening fixture in the competition on Saturday (November 13) at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Tigers host Sale Sharks in Round 1 before travelling to Coventry in Round 2 to take on Wasps.

Brett Deacon will lead the on-field programme during Premiership Cup weeks throughout the 2021/22 season, with Head Coach Steve Borthwick overseeing the programme alongside Head of Physical Performance Aled Walters.

Assisting Deacon will be Tom Harrison (scrum), Kevin Sinfield (defence) and Matt Smith (attack), with additional coaching support from Nottingham Rugby Head Coach Craig Hammond and Tigers academy coach Geraint Davies.

Speaking about the Cup competition, Borthwick said: “This competition is a great chance for us as a group to develop some new combinations and areas of our game.

“We want to keep taking our game forward, which games against high-quality sides like Sale Sharks and Wasps offer us a chance to do during the Cup.

“It is an opportunity for players to keep carrying this team forward, whoever is selected and has the privilege of representing the club in the Premiership Cup.”