Sometimes, a renaissance can start in the toughest of circumstances.

It was the nadir of a humiliating fall from grace and, amid a near-constant cycle of off-field drama, they were spared relegation only by Saracens' financial indiscretions.

"I remember being on the bench that day," says scrum-half Ben Youngs, now a player with 112 England caps. "They were tough times, but those young guys learned a lot from that experience. It's no coincidence they're now thriving."

Thriving indeed - Leicester will reach Christmas nine points clear at the top of the Premiership table, having won their first 13 games of the season in all competitions, the club's best start in the professional era.

Nine of the squad from that match against Wasps, including Guy Porter, Harry Potter, Dan Kelly and Ollie Chessum, featured prominently in their past three games, which brought Champions Cup wins against Connacht and Bordeaux and a Premiership victory against defending champions Harlequins.

Many are wondering if the Tigers of old - a side who dominated English rugby union for decades - are back, and how head coach Steve Borthwick and his side have managed such a turnaround.

Return of the 'young guns'

Since 42-year-old Borthwick's arrival in July 2020, Leicester have seen some hugely talented players come through their famous academy system.

Freddie Steward, Joe Heyes and George Martin have rapidly become England internationals and do not be surprised if players like scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet, and forward Chessum soon follow.

"The culture has encouraged young players to come through," says Vicky Macqueen, the former England full-back and Tigers' head of women's rugby.

"You can't do better than homegrown talent, that have grown up here, are Leicester Tigers supporters, and have the passion for the area and the club."

Borthwick adds a more practical reason for nurturing talent, saying: "With the reduction in the salary cap, the importance of growing players and giving them opportunity becomes more important.

"The academy system is vital, and shows the strength of your club. But the players here have grasped their opportunities with both hands."

But it is not just the young players that have helped revive Tigers.

Established internationals like Dan Cole, Ellis Genge and Youngs seem revitalised and overseas imports like Jasper Wiese and Nemani Nadolo have added a quality and physicality that Leicester were lacking.

And players recruited from less mainstream routes, like Kelly, snapped up from Loughborough University, or England hooker Nic Dolly, who was grabbed from Championship obscurity, have been made into special players.

"Guys who haven't played in the squad for 3-4 weeks come into the squad and are just as good, there's not really a change in tempo," says Springbok number eight Wiese.

"It's like there's no such thing as a 'better player' - there's such a huge depth here."

'The fastest learners in the division'

Coinciding with Borthwick's arrival, the club appointed a new CEO, in Andrea Pinchen, and a completely refreshed board.

This huge change off the field, happening at a time of huge financial uncertainty for Tigers, "gave them a chance to clean house and get rid of some dead wood," says former England and Tigers hooker George Chuter.

Borthwick himself came fresh from England's coaching team, in which he was Eddie Jones' right-hand man, but this was his first job leading a club, and what a mess he appeared to be walking into.

Leicester had been a dominant force for decades with two Champions Cup titles, eight Premiership titles and nine straight finals between 2005 and 2013.

Prior to 2019 they had never finished below sixth in the league, but then ended up 11th in consecutive seasons.

The day before Borthwick arrived, five players left in a fractious contract dispute which played out in public.

And on his first morning, he asked a group of players to leave the field because the way they were training "wasn't at the sufficient standard".

He recalls: "When I came in I realised a lot of work was needed here. It's not very often you get the chance to turn round a club of this size, a club with this following."

Leicester's current run of form is the result of 18 months of hard work and an approach which is fiery, highly competitive and tough.

Tigers finished sixth last season, and there was a hugely important run to the Challenge Cup Final, which gave the team experience of big games.

"We started very differently to how we are playing now. It was very heavily focused on stripping it back, the kicking game, kick-chase, set piece," says Youngs.

"We have added to it, bit by bit. We have become the fastest learners in the division."

Full-back Steward describes Borthwick, a former Bath, Saracens and England lock as "a brilliant mentor for me on and off the field, a guy the boys look up to and want to play for".

Players talk of his straight-talking nature and love for detail, but Macqueen puts it even more simply: "Everything he does sings of a great leader. He's got respect, he's disciplined, he's relentless, and has the vision to see the bigger picture.

"You can see it behind his eyes. He's got it all there, and he wants to drip-feed it down to the squad."

Borthwick also has a young, dynamic coaching team behind him, including Kevin Sinfield, Richard Wigglesworth and Matt Smith - and head of physical performance Aled Walters has turned the players into an exceptionally fit side, having joined straight from the World Cup-winning South Africa setup.

"They look a very well prepared team, a very well coached team," says Chuter.

"Having that amount of preparation takes a lot of work - but then you have to take your hat off to the players who take it on board."

'One game at a time'

Other factors have certainly played a role in Leicester's resurgence including Exeter, Bristol and Sale making slow starts to the season, the assurance of no relegation for two seasons and the return of supporters to Welford Road.

The club had their first sellout crowd in three-and-a-half years for the Harlequins game.

Fundamentally though, Tigers keep things simple. Many have laughed at Borthwick's "one game at a time" mantra, but it seems to resonate.

"There's no secrets, it's hard work", says Macqueen, who has worked and trained alongside Borthwick since joining Leicester's women's programme.

"It's always about the next job, and improving every day. It's genuinely what they do."

Leicester's 13 wins have come in totally different ways.

They have blown teams away, like Northampton in a record-breaking East Midlands Derby victory, they have ground out results, and their last-minute win at Saracens was a complete smash and grab.

"We are now in the position that anything that is thrown at us, we have the ability we can deal with it", adds Youngs.

"When you get on a streak like this, it becomes a great story. Leicester's success, then a demise, now success again.

"People will get hyped up in it, but we've won nothing yet."

Leicester will lose this season. The run will end. But a place in the play-offs is looking more and more certain with every week they avoid defeat.

Challenges remain, notably their recruitment ahead of next season, as two of their best players, George Ford and skipper Ellis Genge, will depart, but Borthwick spoke last week about needing three to four years to bring success to Leicester.

The mantra from supporters of late has been 'in Steve we trust'. It is easy to see why.