This is Leicestershire --
Leicester Tigers backs coach Paul Burke insists there is no reason why the club's British & Irish Lions' stars will not be available for the club's opening Aviva Premiership game of the season against Worcester.
The sextet, who returned from the tour of Australia as winning Lions, are currently enjoying some well-earned rest and relaxation instead of taking part in the club's gruelling pre-season programme.
Ben Youngs, Tom Youngs, Manu Tuilagi, Tom Croft, Dan Cole and Geoff Parling are due back at Oval Park on Monday after a mandatory rest period.
And while Burke admits they will not be rushed back into action, he believes they should all be fit for selection when the club starts the defence of its title on September 8.
"We will get them integrated at the back end of pre-season," he said. "They will do their medical checks and see where they are fitness-wise.
"Then we will make the decisions about when they will play further down the line.
"But it is obvious that we want our best guys playing when the league games start."
Aside from the club's Lions contingent, Leicester look like having an incredibly strong squad for the 2013-14 campaign.
Former Munster and Tigers fly-half Burke is already working with three new faces who can play in the No.10 shirt this season.
And with the likes of winger Miles Benjamin yet to make his debut for the club after missing the whole of last season through injury, Burke says there is plenty of competition for places.
"Having Miles back is like having a new player for us," said Burke. "And with the new additions to the squad, they are adding real competition.
"The Lions guys will come back and, with players like Logovi'i Mulipola and Marcos Ayerza returning from international duty, we have strength to push on and really achieve things.
"Then there is Ryan Lamb, Owen Williams and David Mele, who have helped to provide us with four place-kickers within the squad.
"That's a bit of a luxury and they are all very good kickers too.
"We have most of our bases covered. If we lose Toby Flood to England, we have the other three guys to step in and take his place.
"At times, we were weak in one or two positions last year. Now, we have options." Reported by This is 21 hours ago.
Leicester Tigers backs coach Paul Burke insists there is no reason why the club's British & Irish Lions' stars will not be available for the club's opening Aviva Premiership game of the season against Worcester.
The sextet, who returned from the tour of Australia as winning Lions, are currently enjoying some well-earned rest and relaxation instead of taking part in the club's gruelling pre-season programme.
Ben Youngs, Tom Youngs, Manu Tuilagi, Tom Croft, Dan Cole and Geoff Parling are due back at Oval Park on Monday after a mandatory rest period.
And while Burke admits they will not be rushed back into action, he believes they should all be fit for selection when the club starts the defence of its title on September 8.
"We will get them integrated at the back end of pre-season," he said. "They will do their medical checks and see where they are fitness-wise.
"Then we will make the decisions about when they will play further down the line.
"But it is obvious that we want our best guys playing when the league games start."
Aside from the club's Lions contingent, Leicester look like having an incredibly strong squad for the 2013-14 campaign.
Former Munster and Tigers fly-half Burke is already working with three new faces who can play in the No.10 shirt this season.
And with the likes of winger Miles Benjamin yet to make his debut for the club after missing the whole of last season through injury, Burke says there is plenty of competition for places.
"Having Miles back is like having a new player for us," said Burke. "And with the new additions to the squad, they are adding real competition.
"The Lions guys will come back and, with players like Logovi'i Mulipola and Marcos Ayerza returning from international duty, we have strength to push on and really achieve things.
"Then there is Ryan Lamb, Owen Williams and David Mele, who have helped to provide us with four place-kickers within the squad.
"That's a bit of a luxury and they are all very good kickers too.
"We have most of our bases covered. If we lose Toby Flood to England, we have the other three guys to step in and take his place.
"At times, we were weak in one or two positions last year. Now, we have options." Reported by This is 21 hours ago.