With the start of the 2010/11 Guinness Premiership less than a month away, Leicester Tigers Director of Rugby, Richard Cockerill, provided an insight into the mood in the camp ahead of the club’s title defence.

Tigers have just returned from a pre-season trip to France and despite a number of his squad being called up for international duty, Richard is happy with the players’ preparation so far.

“Yeah it’s been good. Obviously it’s been a bit disruptive because of the test guys and only having two thirds of our squad here, but you just have to deal with that. We’re used to having guys away and it’s no different in pre-season. We just get on with it and obviously the next two weeks with the Munster and Leinster games will be good preparation with everybody here, to go into the season.”

After lifting the Premiership crown thanks to Dan Hipkiss’s late heroics at Twickenham against Saracens on May 29th, Tigers returned to pre season training just a month later. Cockers could be forgiven for thinking that the players and the staff haven’t had much of a break.

“It’s one of those things. The seasons start to roll into one another a little bit but you have to just get on with it. I’m happy to have a couple of weeks off with the family and then to get back into organising pre-season because that’s the way it is. If you’re in the industry, you just have to get on with it.”

In less than two years in charge at the club, Cockerill has claimed two successive Premiership titles and led Tigers to the Heineken Cup Final, but the former England international admitted that like many of the best coaches and managers in elite sport, the glory of victory is only fleeting, with his focus soon moving on to the next challenge.

“For me it lasts a couple of days and you enjoy the moment and then you’re thinking about trying to win the next game, which for us is Northampton on September 5th. We don’t wallow in success and we don’t wallow in our defeats much either. We just get on with it and that’s the key. The key to our success is having good players, good people and a lot of bloody hard work.”

With such a short close season and the improved conditioning of modern players, it’s no surprise that the squad have come back fit and raring to go, as Cockerill explained.

“Most of the guys are in pretty good nick. They’ve either been playing or they’ve been on holiday for a couple of weeks and they can now slowly get back into it and look after themselves, so by and large, our lads are pretty good.”

The Welford Road giants have been pretty busy in the transfer market this summer with Kiwi number 8, Thomas Waldrom the club’s major signing and the likes of lock George Skivington, prop Peter Bucknall and Lee Robinson and Horacio Agulla on the wing, all boosting Cocherill’s squad following the departure of established stars like Lewis Moody and Sam Vesty. Cockers has been pleased with how the new arrivals have settled in and expects the Tigers’ famed spirit and family culture to continue despite the changes to the squad.

“They’ve all been very good. It’s pretty easy really. You turn up and work hard and there’s not much that can go wrong, so by and large they’ve been very, very good. You get team spirit by working hard and if your team-mates work hard you’ll like them because they’ve done the hard graft. Team spirit’s never been an issue for us because we’ve got good people at the club.”

As well as the new additions, the recently crowned Director of Rugby is expecting a few more youngsters to make the breakthrough from the academy this season.

“The young lads will be good again. They will step up and come through, and every year two or three step up through the academy or somebody arrives that people have never heard and comes through and does a good job. I’m sure this year will be no different.”

Leicester Tigers will be making the short trip to play Nottingham in a pre-season fixture at Meadow Lane this evening (Friday August 13th). With just three weeks to go until the start of the new campaign a number of the club’s new signings are likely to be on show.

Tickets are available from the Meadow Lane ticket office up until kick-off at 7.45pm, costing £12 adults, £8 concessions and £4 juniors.

Season ticket holders have also been reminded that they have until 5pm on Wednesday, September 1st to reserve their usual positions for Tigers high-profile friendly against the Australian national side at Welford Road on Tuesday November 9th, which kicks-off at 7.30pm.

Those interested must contact the ticket office in person or on 0844 856 1880 to receive a discount on their ticket. For more information visit the club’s official website www.leicestertigers.com .

Richard Cockerill and Geordan Murphy will be appearing at special Q&A night at The City Rooms in Leicester on Thursday September 2nd. For your chance to win two tickets to the event see the Soar Magazine Competitions Page.