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Leicester Tigers agree mid-season release for Thom Smith
By Kim Ekin
Leicester Tigers have agreed an early release from his contract for Thom Smith which will allow the back row to pursue a career in the Championship.
Smith is switching to Doncaster Knights, for whom he has already played two games - against Hartpury and Ealing.
Smith (6'1, 103kg) had played for Tigers since arriving from Norwich. The forward made his senior Tigers debut against Saracens in the Premiership Cup in October 2018, having previously represented the Premiership giants at U18 and A League levels.
A club statmeent reads: "Leicester Tigers have agreed terms with Thom Smith, allowing the back-rower an early release from his contract with the club to join Doncaster Knights on a full-time contract.
"The 21-year-old has spent the opening months of the 21/22 season on loan at the Championship club.
"Smith has made 10 senior appearance for Tigers since debuting during the 2018/19 Premiership Rugby Cup campaign after graduating from the club's academy programme."
Discussing Thom’s signing, Head Coach Steve Boden said: “We’re delighted to secure the services of Thom Smith. He’s a young player who needs a lot of consistent game time and we feel like he’s got a bright future ahead.
“First and foremost, he fits the mould of what we’re about at Doncaster Knights – he’s a great bloke with a great character, and his work ethic is second to none. So, we’re looking forward to seeing how he develops here in the near future.”
The 22-year-old back rower joins Doncaster Knights as a young player looking for game time and to enhance his rugby development, which had stalled at Leicester Tigers in the face of significant depth in the position in the first team.
“I’m extremely excited and grateful to have signed with Doncaster Knights. The environment created by the players and coaching staff has made the transition so easy and I’m really looking forward to my time here.”
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No just because the personal is much better than last year. I've shown no antagonism of Crusader players, you must be confusing me with someone else.
I have critized Razor for picking players he knows occasionally?
I said I'm not surprised because of his style, he's more a grinder player like Cane, not going to show up on peoples radar until you see how bad the other choices are. This year players like Clarke have been on fire and just show a bit more.
Are you one of those posters continually taking it easy on Razor because he doesn't have his Crusaders stars available? Do you think the rugby world is going to up to him suddenly once Mo'unga returns? lol
Go to commentsJohn you have been beating this drum for a couple of years, if you get proven right get back to us.
The last recent and decent Aussie coach was Ewen McKenzie, he was undermined and forced out by a couple of slimy Aussie players who were given a free pass when they should have been disciplined.
So our history since McQueen is very checkered and it seems to make little difference whether we have an Aussie coach or a Kiwi coach. The players have been entitled for a long time and we had to hit bottom to get them back into reality and to stop thinking it is all about them.
Cheika was an OK coach but his 'go our and destroy the opposition' tactic worked for a while and then didn't.
Please give me a list of great Aussie coaches that I have missed.
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