Cheika effect on Tigers and me is key - Shillcock

Jamie Shillcock has now made 35 Premiership appearances for Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers stand-off Jamie Shillcock says Michael Cheika has had a massive effect on both himself and the team in their encouraging start to the 2024-25 campaign.

This time two years ago, former Worcester Warriors and Bath man Shillcock was just readjusting to life at The Recreation Ground after such an abrupt end at Sixways.

Shillcock, who memorably made his Warriors debut as a 17-year-old schoolboy in May 2015, was one of the lucky ones at Worcester.

He was one of the very first of their redundant players to be picked up, first by Bath then Japanese side Mitsubishi DynaBoars, before returning to England to join Tigers for the 2023-24 season - and earning a first international call for England A.

The 27-year-old remains second choice number 10 at Welford Road when Handre Pollard is back from international duty - but Cheika's confidence in him has helped Shillcock show his form in the Premiership Cup in the South African's absence.

"With previous coaches, I felt I was always there if needed," Shillcock told BBC Radio Leicester. "But Cheiks has pushed me from the start of the year to believe in myself more.

"He's told me I'm there because I'm good enough. I know now I'm there because he believes in me and I'm not just filling in space."

Going into Sunday's trip to Sale, as the Premiership returns following the international break, Tigers lie second behind leaders Bath - and Shillcock puts it all down to what he calls "Cheik's effect".

"We're so more clued up with the direction we want to go in," he added. "It's all the little detail.

"We haven't played some of the rugby we'd have wanted to yet but we've still won five from six in the Prem and we've only lost to Bath - and we should have won that.

"We just all feel more connected. It's not just the forwards and the backs all doing their own thing.

"The way we handle the ball now, everyone's adapting. Everyone now feels more confident enough to take the ball in hand.

"We're in a good spot and it's important not to take our foot off the pedal."

Jamie Shillcock was talking to BBC Radio Leicester's Adam Whitty