Howard’s way as Tigers bid to claw their way back

LEICESTER yesterday appointed Pat Howard as their new backs coach – and the former Wallaby has vowed to help the Tigers reclaim the glory days.

Howard will form part of a six-strong coaching team which has been given the task of restoring Leicester to the pinnacle of English rugby, a position they occupied until two seasons ago.

John Wells, who has been in charge of playing matters since the sacking of Dean Richards in February, has been named head coach while former Tigers favourite Richard Cockerill will help out with the forwards.

Neil Back will continue to oversee the defensive duties, Andy Key is to assist Howard with the backs while specialist coach Jamie Hamilton completes the team which Leicester top brass hope will end two barren years.

Wells has been with the Tigers for 23 years while Howard and Cockerill, currently playing for French club Montferrand, have strong links to Leicester’s golden era.

Howard, 30, made 94 appearances for the Tigers between 1998 and 2001, helping them to three Premiership crowns and their stunning victory over Stade Francais in the 2001 Heineken Cup final.

And Howard, who will focus solely on coaching after deciding not to continue his playing career, has promised Tigers fans landing silverware is once again the number one objective.

“It’s pretty simple, we want to win every competition we enter,” said the Australian, who has been capped 20 time by the Wallabies.

“You can’t start the season not thinking like that. We want to win but we know that there will be obstacles in the way which we have to deal with as and when they arise.”

Leicester are gifted with plenty of talent in the backs but their threequarter line has rarely fired over the past two seasons due to a raft of injures and a lack of confidence. This is an area Howard hopes to revitalise.

“I will address the attack. I want players to be confident and to have ideas, although it’s difficult to play open rugby all year round,” he said.

“What that means is that there is a three to four-month spell in the middle of the season whereby you have to be a little more conservative, but we’ll be working to get that balance right.”

Meanwhile, Harlequins hooker Tani Fuga will be available for the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final following his successful appeal for stamping.

The 30-year-old Samoa international was cited by Connacht following an incident during Quins’ 31-22 Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final, first-leg victory.

He was handed a seven-week suspension following a disciplinary hearing in Dublin but an independent appeals committee have now reduced the suspension to three weeks, starting from April 21.

The panel took account of Fuga’s guilty plea and his unblemished disciplinary record, clearing him to play in the Zurich Wildcard play-offs and the Parker Pen Challenge Cup final against Montferrand at the Madejski Stadium on May 22.

Connacht have made a number of changes for their Celtic League clash with title-chasing Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground on Saturday (2.30).

Matt Mostyn returns at full-back with Ted Robinson starting on the right-wing and Shane Moore at inside centre. Conor O’Loughlin partners Eric Elwood at half-back.

Adrian Clarke and hooker John Fogarty come into the front row with a new back row of Paul Neville, Tom Carter and Mick Carroll.

Gwent Dragons need to win to stay in the hunt for the title along with Ulster and Llanelli, but Connacht will be anxious to gain revenge for their defeat by the Dragons at Rodney Parade earlier in the season.

Connacht’s final home game of the season against Celtic Warriors has been switched from Saturday, May 15, and will now take place at the Sportsground a day earlier, with a 6.30 kick-off.

In between, Connacht travel to Thomond Park on Friday, May 7 to take on Munster in a game that will be broadcast live by TG4.

CONNACHT (v Gwent Dragons): M. Mostyn; T. Robinson, D. Yapp, S. Moore, C. McPhillips; E. Elwood, C. O’Loughlin; A. Clarke, J. Fogarty, P. Bracken; D. Browne, A. Farley; P. Neville, T. Carter, M. Carroll. Replacements: B. Jackman, D. McFarland, M. McCarthy, J. O’Sullivan, M. Walls, D. Hewitt, M. McHugh.