Leicester Tigers and Wasps, albeit with most of the latter’s success coming before its ‘London’ prefix was dropped, have won 16 Premiership titles between them. Of the 15 domestic finals between 2003 and 2017, 12 featured at least one of these two clubs. Twice, in 2005 and 2008, they contested the trophy at Twickenham. That will not be happening this season. Even nine matches into the league campaign, with the table amazingly congested, it feels as though both face a desperate struggle to reach the play-offs. Their meeting at Welford Road on Saturday represents 11th place hosting 9th, and they are only that high because of Saracens’ self-inflicted plight. The salary-cap scandal also means, of course, that there is not even a relegation storyline to peddle. England internationals are away on Six Nations duty. So, might this be a precursor of the flat fixtures ahead if ring-fencing arrives? Geordan Murphy, Leicester’s head coach, was reasonably convincing in his rebuttals this week. Forecasting a “local derby” that will be “fiercely competitive regardless of who pulls on the shirts”, he denied feeling relief or any pressure release following Saracens’ automatic demotion from the top flight. “It’s tight from the bottom right up to fifth – 10 points separate that group,” Murphy explained. “I’m a believer that the competition has become closer every year with teams turning each other over on a weekly basis. “I don’t remember Leicester playing Wasps in a fixture that wasn’t a massive game and I’m sure this one will be no different. In regards to league position, there is a very, very long way to go. “We’re nine games in, not even halfway there. We’re looking up the table and we’re on the climb.” Dai Young’s slightly mysterious step down from the Wasps hot-seat, announced hours before Murphy’s media session, does little to ease a sense of eeriness around 2019-2020. There is clearly one eye on the future in the West Midlands as Lee Blackett takes over as head coach. After stressing his affection for Young, Murphy was asked whether his own position had been put into perspective. “Not really,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve always known that there is a huge amount of pressure in professional sport. Times have been tough since I was given this job. My head’s been on the block a little bit. “The board and the club have been very supportive of me, coming out and saying the right things but the reality of professional sport is that, one day, it comes for everyone.” Tigers is currently a place of contrasts. Leicester boast try-scorers from last weekend’s Calcutta Cup encounter as well as the Under-20 version. Ellis Genge shunted over a day after promising full-back Freddie Steward had dotted down for England’s top age-grade side. Despite an underwhelming spell for the seniors, Tigers’ academy team go for their third successive Premiership U18 crown against London Irish at Sixways on Sunday. A three-peat would be a remarkable endorsement of Leicester’s pathway. The impending arrival of Steve Borthwick offers stability and excitement, but Murphy admits that the 40 year-old’s England commitments make recruitment planning slightly trickier. Retention is another issue. The contracts of Ben Youngs and Jonny May are due for renewal, with Daily Mail reports suggesting that they face pay-cuts of around £100,000 each to stay. “We’re in negotiations with both players,” Murphy said. “There have been so many stories in the media that have been slight-truths, half-truths and complete fiction. It’s something we have commented on. “Yes, we are in contract negotiations with both players. Would we like both players to be here next year? Yes. Out of respect for the players and ourselves, we won’t comment any further but it’s constantly a balancing act. Salary caps do that. “It’s really difficult and it’s been really difficult for as long as I’ve been at Leicester, which is a very long time. Consistently, year-in and year-out, players will move on for greener pastures and better packages in terms of finances. It’s not nice.” Given Tigers have already re-signed Genge and George Ford this season, the situation epitomises the difficulty of squeezing England mainstays into club budgets. Another irony at Leicester is this: the club that developed England’s most-capped scrum-half are well placed to service the international impasse behind Youngs. Ben White, Harry Simmons, Jonny Law and Jack van Poortvliet are all worth following. Crowds have dwindled at Welford Road. The sight of empty seats for the Christmas fixture against Exeter Chiefs was jarring. A defiant Murphy does expect close to a sell-out this weekend, though, and promises that there will be no slacking off because Saracens have spared the danger of relegation. “To say that would be to imply or insinuate that we’re just going to be all ‘Whey, joué’ because it doesn’t matter. Although the pressure of relegation is off, I don’t see that. “This group takes absolutely no pleasure in being at the bottom of the table. That’s a driver – just getting up the table. We’re really confident that, on our day, we can beat any of the teams in the Premiership. There’s plenty of time to mount a charge.”