This time, Mike Brown’s trip ends in smiles

Mike Brown’s 21st pre-season came with an added sense of déjà vu as he relived his worst nightmare on a Leicester trip to Portugal.

Michael Cheika’s squad had a week at Browns Sports Resort in Vilamoura, which was used by England, and saw the end of the full-back’s international days.

Brown’s last visit to the complex was back in 2018, ahead of that year’s autumn internationals when Eddie Jones terminated his Test playing days.

Brown was never picked for England again but, at the age of 39, he is still intent on proving he is nowhere near his sell-by date even if his return to the Algarve did bring him out in a cold sweat.

And with the hard-hitting Cheika arriving in the summer, after Dan McKellar’s shock departure, the former England star reckons a change is as good as a rest as he gears up for another season.

Déjà Vu

“The last time I had been to that sports resort in Vilamoura was with Eddie,” said Brown, speaking at an event to mark the renewal of Gallagher’s Premiership Rugby title partnership.

“And that was when I got dropped by him. Turning up there was a bit ‘not again’.

Part of the problem is it’s still exactly the same – it was a bit like PTSD for me and Ben Youngs, more so for me because the last time I had been there was not a great memory.

“But it was quite exciting because we had a new head coach with Michael coming in. He has that presence straight away, he has that experience and he has been successful in so many different places.

“His tactical and technical knowledge is up there with the best I have had – the way he speaks in meetings, he can see things others can’t when he is watching clips and going through film with players.

“He gets people listening with what he sells and what he wants us to be like. It comes from the success he has had before.

“He knows what the experienced players bring, he values everyone but then treats everyone differently because they are at different stages of their career and are different people, which is great.

“You can’t treat everyone the same.

“Last year it felt like with Freddie Steward being younger, from the Leicester academy, being a current England player, I was kind of left to the side.

“Now it is a genuine competition which will only make him a better player but gives me the motivation I still have a purpose and a role to play.”

Landing Cheika

Cheika was heading back to Australia, after his stint as Argentina boss, when the SOS call came from Tigers CEO Andrea Pinchen.

The Australian was not desperate for a job, or money, he is a millionaire textile tycoon, but he needed no second invitation to reroute to the Midlands.

Brown added: “He basically says that shows how much he loves being in the sport and coaching and how much he wants to be at Leicester.

“He doesn’t necessarily have to be there. He was supposed to be going back to Australia with his family, but because it was Leicester and he got the call, his plans changed.

“Straight away it makes you realise how big it is to be involved with Leicester when someone like that wants to come, and how lucky we are to have the opportunity to work with him.

“If you look at the playing roster we have got and the strength in depth – the foundations of the traditional Leicester are still there but we have got to build on that if we want to be successful, which we weren’t last year.

“That was mainly the attacking side last season, which was not good enough and we know that.

“We have to evolve that while keeping the foundations of what rugby is about. Michael is big on keeping those foundations.

“We know we are not where this club wants to be but with that pressure comes a great opportunity to do something special.”

Second Chances

Cheika cracked the whip during a gruelling pre-season but Brown, an unlikely Tiger after 351 games for Harlequins and a spell at Newcastle, was happy to knuckle down.

He owes the club one after thinking he was on the scrap heap in 2023.

“They gave me an opportunity when I didn’t have a club so you have to repay that,” Brown said.

“From day one, everyone welcomed me. Everyone that works at Leicester, players, staff and everyone that supports Leicester just want to see someone who shows how much they love pulling on the shirt.

“I don’t think that has ever been a problem for me. I respect every club I have been to, whether that is Newcastle, Harlequins, Leicester or England – I have loved pulling on that shirt.

“Leicester has always been a team I have looked at and thought they would be great to play for with all that tradition and history, the way they fill up their stadium, the atmosphere and the values they have.

“I am seeing it from the inside now.”

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