Geoff Parling has his first win as Leicester coach. He hasn’t got any furniture in his new home, but he will consider a bonus-point win over Harlequins more important than a chaise longue. All the more so given the outlook for his team early in the second half, 19-0 down in front of their dearest with seemingly not so much as an idea about how to break down the Quins defence. He could have done with a chaise longue at that point.
Having accepted the Leicester job over the summer, Parling contributed to Australia’s win over the Lions in the third Test in August as forwards coach, the role he has fulfilled for the past five years, having moved to Melbourne in 2018 to finish his playing career with the Rebels. Australia is pretty much the only home his young family has known. No sooner was the Lions win bagged than he hauled them over kicking and screaming to a new life in the East Midlands. Their furniture is following on.
