Corry can be expected to lead by example as usual

The Tigers have gone three seasons without a trophy, since their second Heineken Cup and league double in 2002.

"Trophies are not won in September but you can sure as hell lay down a statement of intent," he told BBC Radio Leicester. "That is what we aim to do.

"It's great to have Sale first up. We want to see exactly where we are."

Corry is honest enough to admit that "Sale were consistently the best side from day one last season and well deserving of the title, even if it pains me to say it."

If I am not playing well for Leicester, other things may not happen Martin Corry

A 45-20 Premiership final hammering by the Sharks in May was Corry's last taste of competitive action, having been rested from England's summer tour of Australia.

Pat Sanderson led the side in his absence, and England coach Andy Robinson has yet to decide who will be his skipper in the autumn as the countdown to next year's World Cup continues.

But Corry insists he is concentrating firmly on the Tigers as the new campaign gets under way next week.

"Sale first up is a testy game, especially with how we finished last season, and that is where my main focus is," he said.

"We start this season with renewed optimism and everything else can look after itself. If I am not playing well and winning for Leicester, then other things may not even happen."

We were playing within ourselves for the vast majority of last season Martin Corry

Last season the Tigers lost a Heineken Cup quarter-final to Bath, a Powergen Cup semi-final to Wasps and the Guinness Premiership final to Sale.

Corry believes that if they are to regain the lustre that brought them four successive league titles between 1999 and 2002, a more expansive approach is required.

"The big games epitomised what was happening elsewhere," Corry added. "We were playing within ourselves for the vast majority of the season.

"We had a conservative approach which we tried to change and did in parts, but in the big games the basic skills let us down.

"So we have worked very hard on that. We can all perform very nicely on the training field but we have to make sure we can do it in a pressurised environment now."