RUGBY UNION: Balding issues Tigers warning (From Oxford Mail)

RUGBY UNION: Balding issues Tigers warning

10:00am Saturday 9th February 2013 in Sport By Ed Mezzetti, Sports reporter specialising in Rugby, Cricket and Athletics. Call me on 01865 425456

Adam Balding is in no doubt about the stern test London Welsh will face at Welford Road today (3).

Welsh resume their Aviva Premiership campaign at Leicester Tigers’ famous home, hoping to pick up where they left off in their last league clash at home to Harlequins.

Leicester will be without a host of internationals such as Dan Cole, Toby Flood and Manu Tuilagi due to the Six Nations, so it may seem a good time to play them.

But Balding, who played for Leicester between 1998 and 2004, is not so sure.

“There is no easy time to play Leicester with their strength in depth and the players they can bring in,” said Balding, who starts at lock today.

“Leicester are coming off the back of a defeat to the Scarlets, so they will be chomping at the bit.

“At the end of the day we will be focused on ourselves rather than what they are going to be doing.”

Balding’s experience could be key to Welsh’s chances at Welford Road and he is relishing return to the club where he won four Premiership titles.

“Leicester are a fantastic club with a tradition and massive history,” he said.

“Going back there is always a special occasion.”

Head coach Lyn Jones has rotated his squad for cup matches the past four weeks, with the emphasis very much on today’s clash.

But Balding stressed: “Every week is a serious week for us.

“This week has been about attention to detail.”

He added: “We are trying to look up and not down and catch Worcester, which I think we can do.

“We have got three big matches ahead of us and we want to get points in each of them.”

Welsh have defied expectations to sit tenth in the table at this stage and Balding says they can keep on pushing upwards.

“It is a great squad of players down here,” he said. “Everybody works hard for each other.

“We are excited about what we can do.”