Ben Youngs backs new coach Dan McKellar to turn things around at Leicester after losing four of their first five Premiership matches this season

Ben Youngs pleaded with Leicester fans to keep the faith with Dan McKellar’s new-look Tigers despite four defeats in their first five league matches.

Australian head coach McKellar took over at Welford Road this summer but suffered his latest loss on Saturday, 29-25 against Harlequins. It came even with Leicester’s international stars, including Youngs, returning for the first time since the World Cup.

McKellar admitted that Tigers cannot afford to lose many more if they want to finish in the top four and said this Saturday’s home derby with Northampton is a must-win.

‘Dan has got a really good vision about what he wants to do,’ said Youngs, England’s most-capped player who is now retired from Test rugby.

‘I’m really impressed and enjoying what he wants to do. We’ve had 12 players away and this was the first time this group was together. We’re trying to evolve our game. It’s a very Australian approach.’

Tigers had World Cup winners Handre Pollard and Jasper Wiese and a host of England stars in their starting XV but were outscored five tries to three. 

But Youngs insisted it is too early to write them off.

‘I wouldn’t worry about that just yet,’ he said. ‘Momentum can change very quickly.

‘Last season during the Six Nations period we were well out of the loop but we won seven on the bounce to get us to third. You can pick up points quickly. We didn’t get the result and that really hurts, but we’ve got some fast learners.’