WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Peter Tom CBE CHAIRMAN

Opening words from the Chairman of the Leicester Tigers.

Wherever you are watching or following this game this evening, we offer a very warm welcome on behalf of the Leicester Tigers.

While we remain at a distance for the time being, I am delighted that we have been able to take our first steps out into our community after the long pause due to the pandemic.

Local schools have been extremely keen to welcome us, with our community team putting on special sessions to promote

exercise and healthy living among young people, while also introducing rugby’s basic skills in primary schools and providing extra coaching and guidance in senior schools.

The community team report that all of these students have been very enthusiastic to get involved after a year of restrictions on sport and activity, and we look forward to visiting them much more often in the future.

We obviously hope they become lifelong fans of the Tigers, but also that they continue their involvement in rugby at school and in our local clubs while learning the importance of its values.

One of those is respect for opponents and it is a huge pity that we are unable to gather at

Mattioli Woods Welford Road this evening because we have always enjoyed our meetings with Ulster Rugby and their supporters who have travelled in large numbers.

Although it comes too late for this game, a ticket ballot is open now to season ticket holders for the fixture with Bristol Bears on June 5 and we are delighted that there is now an opportunity for fans to return. Please check your emails for details of the ballot, which is open until Monday.

It seems incredible that we are looking to the final home game of this season before we can see any of you in the stadium again after playing behind closed doors for all of the last 14 months, but every day that passes is another day closer to getting back to what we all know and love about matchdays here.

We were all disappointed by defeats to Bath and Northampton but, as Steve says, we are at a different stage in our journey while also very clear on where we want to be and how we intend to get there.

Finally, we were very saddened by the passing of Bleddyn Jones this week.

After 333 appearances for the Tigers, he commentated on games for more than 30 years and has shared in many of the club’s greatest days. But more than that, he was a genuinely lovely man with so many friends in rugby.

On behalf of everyone connected with the Tigers, I pass on deepest condolences to his family and friends in the knowledge that he will be much missed here.

As always, thank you for your support, it means such a lot.

Ulster and their fans have visited before