Start is key to any success against Tigers – Thompson

Leeds find themselves at the foot of the Premiership table after three games with a three-point gap having already opened up to 11th-placed Harlequins.

It is early days but Leeds have developed a worrying trend of starting matches slowly and have gone into the half-time interval trailing in each of the three matches.

In the opener against Bath and last Sunday against Saracens they could not fight their way back into the game, but on their first trip away from Headingley Carnegie they struck back in the second half to take the lead, only to lose in the final moments.

Saturday's opponents Leicester have not started the season in a manner befitting of defending champions with Richard Cockerill's team having suffered two defeats in their opening three matches.

However, their one performance at Welford Road produced a victory, albeit after overcoming a lightning start from fearless Exeter, and World Cup winner Thompson believes Leeds will have to replicate that early hunger if they are to kickstart their season in the Midlands.

"We realise that we don't want to be involved in a relegation dogfight again and to avoid that we need to start believing in ourselves," implored Thompson, 32, who made his first start in the defeat to Saracens.

"More importantly we need to start games better and we need to start taking games by the scruff of the neck.

"We cannot go to Leicester Tigers and start poorly.

"They're low on confidence after two defeats and with it being Leicester at Welford Road we go in there with no pressure on us, and yet a lot of pressure because of the start we've made.

"We've got to go there and take the game to them from the off."

Thompson has been heartened by Leeds's attempts to play a more enterprising style in a Premiership that is adapting to law interpretations that favour more attack-minded rugby.

"That's what I came back for," said the England hooker who joined Leeds in the summer from French club Brive.

"It's more of a smash-up in the Top 14. Teams here look to play positive rugby, and that's shown in the first three games I've been involved in.

"You look at the opportunities we've been creating, we've got some good players and we could have had a couple more tries against Saracens.

"And that makes defeat more disappointing. If we'd lost by 40 points then fair enough, but the fact that we're close to one of the top teams doesn't ease the disappointment.

"Especially as Saracens didn't have to do anything special."

The law interpretations at the set-piece infuriated fans at Headingley last Sunday, with director of rugby Andy Key choosing his words wisely when discussing the decisions that went against his side.

Thompson was in constant conversation with whistle-happy referee Sean Davey over how and why penalties were being awarded, but took a more diplomatic stance after the match.

"I was just talking to him about the scrums and trying to understand what the referee wanted," he said.

"Both teams were going a bit early and he was pinging one and pinging the other.

"It's not great for the supporters and it's not great for both teams.

"He was pinging both teams for infringements so he was consistent."

Leeds, meanwhile, are confident Ceiron Thomas will be available for selection on Saturday to alleviate their fly-half injury crisis.

The Welshman has been absent since picking up a stinger (nerve) injury against Bath and had still not fully recovered in time for last Sunday's defeat to Saracens.

Summer signing Lachlan Mackay is recovering from a shoulder injury and will not be back until the start of the European Challenge Cup campaign next month, and there is now concern over Christian Lewis-Pratt, who has deputised so impressively so far.

The 19-year-old injured his knee in the early stages of Leeds's latest defeat and is a doubt for the trip to Leicester when Carnegie hope to have Thomas fit.