Six games into the new Premiership season and Leicester are sitting pretty. Led by recently appointed captain Ellis Genge, the Tigers are six wins from six and have picked up three bonus points along the way.
The past few seasons have been tumultuous for the former kingpins of English rugby, but they started clicking near the end of last season - reaching a Challenge Cup Final - and have kicked on again in 2021/22.
It is early days yet, of course, but Leicester are playing with some steel. They recently defeated Saracens in a nail-biter and, on Saturday, welcomed Sale Sharks to Welford Road.
Ahead of the game, and during the first half, the person running Sale's Twitter account was flying on over-confidence and fizzy drinks. Sharks like coming at social media like the bad boy outsiders, so the posts were not far off their usual content.
Genge, though, had been paying close attention before the game and made sure to check in after Tigers, inspired by Jasper Wiese, George Ford and Ireland U20 centre Dan Kelly, won 18-11.
https://twitter.com/EllisGenge/status/1451983333005611015
Genge got into it, early in the match, with England teammate Tom Curry after a Sale attack broke down inside the Leicester 22.
The pair had a difference of opinions, to put it mildly, and went head-to-head before a couple of Genge's Leicester teammates intervened.
[caption id="attachment_239052" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]Tom Curry of Sale Sharks and Ellis Genge of Leicester Tigers collide during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match at Welford Road. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for Sale Sharks)[/caption]
While the Sharks account claimed that Curry had successfully got under the skin of Genge - they were not far off - the Leicester captain saw the ends justifying the means as his side emerged victorious.
You certainly would not see many other club, or Test, captains being so... engaging on social media after a big game.
https://twitter.com/EllisGenge/status/1451988876705341451
This is why Ellis Genge is such a popular and polarising figure at the same time. While many love his antics and him speaking his mind, others would argue that it is best to leave the squabbles on the pitch and forget them at full-time.
One thing is for sure, the return match between both sides will be a compelling watch.
WATCH HOUSE OF RUGBY URC:
Tom Curry of Sale Sharks and Ellis Genge of Leicester Tigers collide during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match at Welford Road. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for Sale Sharks)[/caption]
While the Sharks account claimed that Curry had successfully got under the skin of Genge - they were not far off - the Leicester captain saw the ends justifying the means as his side emerged victorious.
You certainly would not see many other club, or Test, captains being so... engaging on social media after a big game.
https://twitter.com/EllisGenge/status/1451988876705341451
This is why Ellis Genge is such a popular and polarising figure at the same time. While many love his antics and him speaking his mind, others would argue that it is best to leave the squabbles on the pitch and forget them at full-time.
One thing is for sure, the return match between both sides will be a compelling watch.
WATCH HOUSE OF RUGBY URC:
