Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers is an English rugby club that plays in the Premier League, England's top rugby division. In this article, we will discuss its history, major achievements, and key players.

History of Leicester Tigers

Leicester rugby was founded on 3 August 1880 as a result of the merger of three small teams: Leicester Athletic Company, Leicester Amateurs, and Leicester Alert. The name ‘Tigers’ was first used in the Leicester Daily Post newspaper in 1895. One theory is that it is associated with the Leicestershire Regiment, whose soldiers were nicknamed ‘tigers’ after serving in India. Another theory is that the name refers to the black and orange striped uniforms worn by the rugby players.

Since 1892, the club has played its home games at Welford Road Stadium in the southern part of the city. Between 1898 and 1905, it won the Midland Cup every year.

In 1895, Tom Cramby became president and made a huge contribution to the team's further development. Starting with the 1926–27 season, the Tigers team began to mark the forwards' jerseys with letters, and in 1931, this practice was extended to all rugby players.

Club achievements

The club has won the European Championship twice, in 2001 and 2002. Leicester Tigers has participated in nine consecutive Premier League finals, from 2005 to 2013, which is a record. In addition, the club regularly participates in the Champions Cup (the largest club competition on the European continent). Since English teams began participating in this tournament, the Tigers have not missed a single draw — a unique achievement for the country.

The team won the Heineken Cup twice, in 2001 and 2002. One of the club's main achievements is 11 Premier League victories.

The Tigers are one of four teams that have never left the top division and have never finished lower than sixth in the league table at the end of the season. It is one of the most successful clubs in British rugby, along with the Sale Sharks.

Club management

The club's success is due not only to its leading players, but also to its management:

1. Tom Scott – Chairman.
2. Peter Tom – President.
3. Andrea Pinchen – Chief Executive.
4. Fintan Kennedy – Chief Financial Officer.

The head coach of Leicester Tigers is Geoff Parling.

Team composition

The team includes many strong players. Leicester Tigers is a spectacular confrontation between the best rugby players.

Ollie Chessum is the team captain, a versatile rugby player capable of playing both in the back row and at lock. Another team member, Freddie Steward, performs excellently in the back row, demonstrating high stability in both defence and attack. Tommy Reffell is a flanker who is strong at the breakdown and is one of the leaders in the back row.

Other notable players in the club include Sione Kalamafoni and Jasper Wiese, a powerful rugby player who dominates in contact and makes many attacking plays.

Leicester Tigers Stadium

Leicester Tigers play their home matches at Welford Road Stadium. The arena was opened in 1892 and seats 25,849 spectators. It is located between Aylestone Road and Welford Road in the southern part of Leicester city centre. The stadium has four stands.

1. North (Matt Hampson Stand).
2. East (Breedon Stand).
3. South (Robin Hood Stand).
4. West (Holland & Barrett Stand).

In addition to rugby matches, the stadium hosts various events, including music concerts.

The Leicester Tigers team has played away at Twickenham Stadium on numerous occasions, participating in key championship matches and finals.

Season statistics

The statistics for the 2024-2025 season clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of Leicester Tigers.

The clash between Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers once again confirmed its status as one of the most important derbies in English rugby, with plenty of hard tackles and tactical battles.

Leicester Tigers shop

One of Great Britain's strongest rugby clubs has its own shop offering rugby-related merchandise. Many items are discounted, and it is possible to make purchases using coupons.

The club's official offline shop is located at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Arena, Aylestone Rd, Leicester LE2 7TR. It is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00, and Sundays only on home match days.

The Tigers Online store offers a wide selection of sports equipment, souvenirs, training clothing and gifts. In 2025, the club announced a partnership with Castore, which became the supplier of uniforms and took over the retail sale of club merchandise.

The product catalogue includes:

• lightweight T-shirts with club branding;
• fleece hoodies with a zip and Tiger logo;
• retro caps with embroidered club chevrons;
• club flags — a great souvenir for both home and fan zones.

Discounted training T-shirts cost around £20, while the full price is £40. Discounted hoodies can be purchased for £45. During sales, prices for certain items are reduced by more than 50%.

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