Michael Cheika on that Chiefs win

Michael Cheika has already enjoyed his fair share of magic moments in England – leading Australia to a World Cup final, masterminding Argentina’s second-ever win at Twickenham and even coaching Lebanon at a Rugby League World Cup.

His first game in charge of Leicester Tigers produced the most dramatic of finishes, with Tommy Reffell’s last-gasp try clinching a come-from-behind win over Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.

The 17-14 success is the perfect launchpad for the Gallagher Premiership Rugby season, but while there will no doubt be some bumps in the road along the way, it was also an instructive 80 minutes in terms of what Tigers showed.

Basics already in place

It is only two years since Leicester Tigers claimed the Gallagher Premiership Rugby title thanks to Freddie Burns’ late drop goal against Saracens.

A lot has changed since then. Burns has toured the world, playing Super Rugby in New Zealand and most recently, returning to Japan to ply his trade.

Then coach Steve Borthwick is in charge of England and Twickenham and try-scorer Jasper Wiese has also moved on.

One thing endures at Tigers though. Going all the way back to the ABC club, at Leicester, the set-piece has always been a priority.

And against Chiefs, both scrum and lineout more than held their own, setting the platform for the comeback victory.

Trailing 14-3 in the second half, it was the rolling maul which set up Hanro Liebenberg’s try with quarter of an hour remaining, and a second forward drive put Reffell in position to win it.

Cheika teams are usually entertaining to watch, and there is no question that the three-quarter play will get slicker as the squad gets more opportunity to train together.

But having a lineout that is already firing and a rolling maul that can advance against even the beefiest packs, means that Leicester will be able to pick up valuable points even before the backs start clicking.

Experience off the bench pays dividends

In Ben Youngs and Dan Cole, Leicester Tigers have the two most capped England men’s players of all time in their ranks, and Cheika chose to hold back their experience against Chiefs.

We have seen how South Africa have been so successful in recent times by calling on their ‘bomb squad’ off the bench, just squeezing the life out of their opponents in the final quarter of games.

For Tigers, being able to call on Cole, still a staple of the England matchday squad, offers a level of reassurance at scrum-time, while there are few more knowledgeable half-backs than Youngs to come on and either chase a game or manage a lead.

Add in Reffell, a master jackal, who showed that there is more to his game, and Cheika was able to swing momentum down the stretch.

Of course, that was only possible because of Tigers’ defence in the first half, somehow holding their hosts scoreless despite spending large periods on the back foot.

The new boss was quick to highlight the importance of the scramble defence in the first 40 minutes, the only reason that a comeback was even possible.

It might not work out every time, but if Cheika sticks to the experienced replacements plan, it might be that like the Springboks, teams will know that the only way to beat Leicester is to open a big lead before the bench mob take over.

The smartest signing of all

There have been a number of eye-catching signings in Gallagher Premiership Rugby this season. Waisea will add star dust to the Sale midfield, Fergus Burke is an intriguing option to fill the Owen Farrell void at Saracens and Josh Kemeny already looks like he is going to become a crowd favourite for Northampton Saints.

But when all is said and done, the most influential new arrival might end up being Nicky Smith, the loosehead prop who joined from the Ospreys.

Now 30, Smith has been arguably the best scrummaging loosehead in Wales for a number of years now, even if he has been in and out of favour at international level.

James Cronin and James Whitcombe have done a fine job for Tigers in recent seasons, but Smith could make the starting loosehead spot his own.

And for a team which takes such pride in the ability to win the battle up front, if Smith maintains the form that was so crucial to the Ospreys’ fine campaign a year ago, then he may end up being a huge difference-maker for Tigers.