We now prop up the table and have been beaten not only by the top sides in the Premiership but also our fellow strugglers as well.

Where is it going wrong? Unfortunately we are not scoring points and, more importantly, tries. Last season we averaged 26 points per game of which 54% came from the boot of Barry Everitt. This season we are only scoring an average of 21 points per game but more worryingly a massive 67% has come from Barry. We need to be scoring more tries. In last weekend’s game Ireland v Fiji we saw what some of our players are capable of when the tactics are to their advantage. Both Justin Bishop and Kieron Dawson scored a try each and were directly responsible for at least another try each. So we need them to be given the chance to repeat these performances for us.

This week we take on Leicester who had a shaky start to the season but are now repeating the form that we expect of them. They will be missing 6 players on England duty this weekend so this must be our best opportunity to secure a few points. We have not beaten Leicester in the Premiership or Championship since October 1998 at the Avenue, nine clashes ago.

  Summary of meetings between the teams in the Premiership
 

Played                                              17
 London Irish Won                            2                     11.8%
 Leicester Tigers Won                      15                    88.2%
 Drawn                                              0                     0%
 Biggest Win for London Irish          25 - 18               16 Apr 1997
 Biggest Win for Leicester Tigers      55 - 16               17 May 1998
 
 London Irish top try scorer vs Leicester Tigers          Kieran Campbell       2 tries
 
 London Irish top points scorer vs  Leicester Tigers      Barry Everitt         35 points
 
 Leicester Tigers top try scorer vs  London Irish             Leon Lloyd            6 tries
 
 Leicester Tigers top points scorer vs  London Irish       Tim Stimpson          83 points

  Previous Meetings
 Date                    Teams             Result  Venue           

 12 May 2002   London Irish vs Leicester   16 - 34 Welford Road    
                        Tigers

 02 Dec 2001   London Irish vs Leicester   15 - 30 Madejski Stadium
                        Tigers

 28 Apr 2001   London Irish vs Leicester   11 - 24 Welford Road    
                        Tigers

 10 Feb 2001   London Irish vs Leicester   9 - 28  Madejski Stadium
                        Tigers

 16 Sep 2000   London Irish vs Leicester   20 - 33 Welford Road    
                        Tigers

 25 Mar 2000   London Irish vs Leicester   16 - 41 Welford Road    
                        Tigers

 16 Oct 1999   London Irish vs Leicester   30 - 31 The Stoop       
                        Tigers

 13 Feb 1999   London Irish vs Leicester   10 - 31 Welford Road    
                        Tigers

 20 Oct 1998   London Irish vs Leicester   24 - 23 The Avenue      
                        Tigers

 17 May 1998   London Irish vs Leicester   16 - 55 The Avenue      
                        Tigers