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Tigers Keen to Hold on to O’Connor

Aviva Premiership side the Leicester Tigers are keen to extend the coaching contract that the club currently has with head coach Matt O’Connor that would keep him at Welford Road beyond his current deal. According to Simon Cohen, the Chief Executive of the club, the club has already started its contractual negotiations with their head coach that would see him stay beyond his current deal that expires at the end of the upcoming 2012/13 season.

O’Connor joined The Tigers back in 2008 as the backs coach and has since been promoted to the position of head coach but over the last few months, he has been linked with a move away from the record Premiership champions with many clubs back in his native Australia wanting to take him away from England. But as per the comments of Cohen, the club has already appointed their director of rugby Richard Cockerill with the responsibility of persuading him to sign a new deal with the club and it is being believed that Cockerill has already started a conversation with the 41 year old Australian over a contract extension.

The Leicester Tigers have been the most successful side in the Premiership since its inception and with O’Connor on board, their performances have improved on the field dramatically as they have not failed to reach the playoffs any season after he joined the team and there is every hope that he will put pen to paper to a new contract with the club.

Speaking to BBC Radio on the issue, Cohen added that there is no doubt that Matt O’Connor will be staying with the Leicester Tigers for this season and they are hoping that they are able to keep him for longer than that and with Cockerill signing a new contract, it may just be a matter of time before he does too.

IN CONTENTION

Leicester are in contention for yet another league title and with their excellent timing of coming into form it would be hard to argue against them having a chance of going all the way once again. Whatever this season ends up holding for the Tigers one thing is for sure. Their ever present hooker, George Chuter is determined that he will be able to retain his place in the Tigers’ side next season.

Chuter has been at the Tigers since 2001, in which time he has collected several honours with the Tigers and picked up an impressive collection of England caps along the way. Should Chuter’s career end today he would be remembered as a successful player with a string of impressive stories to tell. But at the ripe old age of 35 he is determined that he will be able to play on for at least one more year.

“I’m feeling pretty good at the moment, I’m happy where I am in terms of fitness and physical well-being and I’m still enjoying it.”

He went on to explain how important the enjoyment factor is to his decision on when to hang up his boots. A player of Chuter’s stature will be determined to remain playing as long as he can remain competitive and he will no doubt not enjoy playing on if he cannot be able to play at the highest possible level.

He will need to remain at the top of his game in order to maintain his place in the Leicester starting 15. He will face competition from Tom Youngs, Rob Hawkins and Jimmy Stevens each trying themselves to build careers as impressive as Chuter’s.

Chuter is full of praise for his coach at Leicester, Richard Cockerill and has tipped him as a possible future England coach. “I’m not sure if he would take the job if it came along but, if you are looking around for candidates in the future, he’s got to be on the list.”

YOUNGS HAS EXCITING FUTURE

George Chuter, the hooker for the Leicester Tigers is looking forward to helping fellow hooker Tom Youngs develop his play with an eye on the future but insists that he is in no hurry to give up his number 2 jersey for the record 9 time champions of the Aviva Premiership. Tom Young, who is the elder brother of England international scrum half is having the best season of his career since he molded his play to suit the role of a hooker from centre and is knocking on the doors of first team action for the Tigers.

The 25 year old has taken his appearance tally for the season in double figures for the first time in his career ever since he made his debut in the professional circuit almost 6 years back now. Over the years, the fans of the Leicester Tigers had grown to seeing cameos from the player but according to Chuter, the days of Youngs playing just a few minutes for the Tigers are coming to an end and he will be a starter for the team for at least the next decade.

According to Chuter, the back injury that Youngs sustained might have halted his progress a bit but he has made a brilliant come back and whenever he has been called on by the manager to deliver, he has done that and it just a matter of time that he becomes the leading hooker in Tigers side.

Chuter also added that Tom Youngs is extremely physical and loves to get involved in things and it is this kind of attitude and passion that appeals immensely to the fans of the Leicester Tigers who were singing his name in the terraces in the match against Wasps Rugby team and Chuter believes that in a couple of years, that will be a regular sight.