Leicester’s head coach is struggling to work out why his starry cast keep losing while Quins are steely under Paul Gustard
On the evidence of Harlequins’ last two Premiership matches it is easy to see why Leicester were linked with Paul Gustard this time last year. While they have performed only in patches in both Harlequins look towards 2020 with renewed optimism after edging past Gloucester and Wasps in matches they would have lost before Gustard arrived.
And what Leicester would not do for a win, in whatever shape it may come, against Harlequins today. The Tigers under Geordan Murphy, with whom Gustard shared a house in the late 90s when both called Welford Road home, may have produced their best 60 minutes of the season against Exeter last weekend but still finished empty-handed. The strain is being felt by Murphy but clearly Leicester’s problems are deep-rooted. The relative success of Leicester City is not helping in one sense, illustrated by the fact that last weekend’s defeat by Exeter was for first time this season they had attracted more than 20,000. Ultimately it was a fifth Premiership defeat in six matches.