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Salvi Ready to put his Body on the Line

Julian Salvi, the full back for the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Leicester Tigers will be more than happy to put his body on the line for the cause of the team when the record Premiership champions take on Worcester Warriors on Saturday, the 8th of September in the second match day of the new season of the Premiership. The 26 year old from Australia is expected to be given his second start for The Tigers in the new season of the Premiership when The Warriors travel down to Welford Road for the match.

Just this week, Ben Woods, his fellow back rower announced his retirement from the game at the tender age of 30 years thanks to a problematic broken wrist and Salvi has given the fans a stark insight into the brutal life that an open-side flanker faces in the game and how to survive it. Speaking about his position, Salvi stated that as an open-side flanker, one has to put his head down when going in for the ball and there are bodies and knees flying in each and every direction.

He went on to add that when he gets up, he is just happy to have survived that play and then puts his head down again for the next one. Surviving an 80 minute match means the world to a player in his position. The Leicester Tigers added that he was disappointed to see ‘Woody’ retire at such an untimely age but it’s one of those positions where the players have to grind it out every time and it’s all about luck.

Many open-side flankers retired in recent times, with Be Herring of the Leicester Tigers being the most notable, but Salvi accepts all there is to the position and still is determined to give it his all.

Leicester Tigers Interested in Signing Jooste

Richard Cockerill, the Director of Rugby of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Leicester Tigers has stated that the team is considering the option of signing Wessel Jooste, the back row forward from South Africa ahead of the start of the new season of the Aviva Premiership. The 31 year old spent the last 8 seasons with Bourgoin, the Top 14 side from France and would be a fantastic signing for The Tigers if he manages to complete the necessary paperwork involved to make the deal happen.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Cockerill stated that Jooste has been on trial with the record champions of the Aviva Premiership for quite some time and has been impressive with his performances on the training ground. But Cockerill also admitted that the South African was the one who was looking at the options of sorting out the necessary paperwork involved in terms of being granted a VISA and a work permit to put pen to paper on a deal with the Leicester Tigers.

The Tigers, who are currently enjoying a good spell of friendly matches ahead of the kickoff of the new season, have already 9 new players to the squad that finished second to Harlequins FC in the playoff final for the Premiership, narrowly missing out on what would have been their 9th Premiership title. However, with the injuries to Tm Croft and also Craig Newby, the addition of the versatile Jooste could prove to be a master stroke on the part of the Leicester Tigers management.

Cockerill admitted that his versatility would be a boost to the squad. Moreover, he added that his physique would make it really easy for him to adapt to the style of play in the country and he admitted that his signing would complete the puzzle.

Leicester Tigers Sell Record Season Tickets

Aviva Premiership Rugby Union side the Leicester Tigers might have missed out breaking their own record for being the winners of the title for the most times last year, having fallen at the final hurdle to Harlequins FC, but the fans of the club have reason to believe that they will go all the way this year. And that has translated in The Tigers selling more season tickets for the upcoming 2012/13 season, and has already surpassed the figures for last season with almost 5 weeks to go to kickoff.

The club has sold a staggering 13,150 season tickets, according to the numbers revealed on the website of the club, a figure which is 150 more than they sold last season. Simon Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer of the Leicester Tigers has stated that the level of ticket sales for this season has been absolutely fantastic. According to Cohen, there is a lot of work that is going on at Welford Road at the moment; and the sale of so many season tickets already can be regarded as a fantastic achievement, considering the tough economic conditions globally.

Cohen revealed that the best seats in the stadium in Caterpillar Stand have already been sold out and praised the fans of the club for showing such fantastic support, adding that the board, the management team and the players of the Leicester Tigers are extremely pleased with them for their continued support. Cohen also mentioned that the preparations for the upcoming season are in full flow at the club.

According to the lifelong fan of The Tigers, there is a deafening buzz about the whole place and the players can feel it too and it will only hold them in good stead as they are more motivated to go that extra mile this season.