Leicester Tigers: Still plenty of growth in young squad, says Steve Borthwick
- Published
Steve Borthwick's Leicester need a maximum of 21 more points to be certain of a play-off place
Head coach Steve Borthwick insists there is "plenty of growth" left in his Leicester Tigers team despite their runaway lead in the Premiership table.
They are 11 points clear at the top following Saturday's 24-20 victory at Bath and second-placed Saracens' defeat at London Irish.
Tigers have won 14 of their 16 games, already three more than last season.
"We've got a young team here, the average age is 25, or just under 25," Borthwick told BBC Radio Leicester.
"There's a lot of growth in this team, we've just got to make sure we keep focusing on what we need to keep an upward trajectory, we've got lots to learn and lots to be better at."
Competition for places is intense at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, despite the absence of five players in Eddie Jones' England Six Nations squad.
"Every day is a selection day. Doesn't matter what time of the season it is," said Borthwick.
"Players need to come in and try to get better, work together collaboratively but compete for places."
Leicester's next challenge is a home game with Gloucester on Saturday, to be followed a week later by a showdown with Saracens in north London.
And in Ben Youngs' absence on international duty, Borthwick must again decide between Richard Wigglesworth and Jack van Poortvliet at scrum-half.
Wigglesworth, who at 38 is one of the old stagers in the squad, has started Leicester's last four Premiership games.
"We want to make sure of the best 80 minutes, regardless of who starts and who finishes," Borthwick said.
"Wiggy did a real good job starting the game at the weekend, I made the change at 45 [minutes] , and I think JVP was brilliant in the second half - and we've got a couple of good young scrum-halves as well behind them."