Dan Cole: We want to win everything
Leicester Tigers prop Dan Cole says the club wants to win every competition possible this season.
The 23-year-old has played 20 times so far in his Leicester career. He is quickly developing a taste for success after coming on as a substitute in the title play-off win over Saracens last season.
Cole has admitted that there is talk about winning the Premiership and European double this season. He also says the club has the right blend of youth and experience to make this a strong possibility.
Leicester has much strength, which allow the team to fight hard on all fronts. However, the club hasn't started the Premiership season in superb form and there are other good sides with vision for success.
Leicester strengths
Leicester has the experience of what it takes to win big titles. Leicester is the current Premiership champion and the club has developed a taste for success at the highest level. This feeling will drive
the team on to play well.
There is good young talent all over the playing squad. Cole is joined by the likes of 21-year-old Ben Youngs who is one of the best scrum half players in Europe. These young players create an energy and
vibrancy in the team.
There are good levels of experience at the club to counter this youth. George Chuter has played 174 times for the club while Louis Deacon has played 197 times in a Leicester shirt. This means there are
players to keep the club grounded at key times.
"We want to win every game we play.
Long term we want to win the European cup, we want to win the Aviva Premiership and we want to win the Anglo-Welsh now as it's called. That's our attitude and that's what we're going to go for.
Our main rivals in the Premiership this year will be the same as last year," said Cole.
Other sides
There are other sides that have started the Premiership in better fashion. London Irish and Northampton are two teams that look in superb form and hold the first and second
positions in the table.
There are also some very good and experienced sides in the Heineken Cup this season. Toulouse currently sits second in the Super 14 and the French side will be very determined
to defend the club's European crown.
There is little harm in players like Cole coming out in the media and suggesting that his club will win every trophy in sight this rugby year. However, it makes Leicester
a target for well disciplined and quality sides.
"Saracens came on well, Northampton beat us
and they'll be up there at the end of the year, Wasps can put a run of form together so there's several teams that are there and thereabouts. The top four from last year have just
solidified what they've got and brought in a couple of players they hope will push them over the edge," he added.
Betting advice
Leicester's best chance of success this season will come in the Premiership. The side has a lot of work to do to move from mid-table (sixth place) up to inside the top
four.
The fact that Northampton was the only English team to make the last eight of the Heineken Cup last season suggests Leicester will struggle in Europe. If the side can find
a way to counter the quick play of French sides then the club is worth an outside bet to win.
The best players in the side to back are the wingers and kickers. These players will get more chances to score than anyone else in the team.
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