“We’re beating 99.8 per cent of the 36,000 fans taking part, and outperforming all other public prediction algorithms,” Tozer says. “We also run the model at international level, and our predictions were much more accurate than the betting markets in the autumn. For example, we had Ireland to beat New Zealand by five, when the bookies were strongly the other way.”

Tozer hastily points out that neither he nor his Oval colleagues are permitted to punt on matches. With their help, though, Leicester have become far safer bets over a new Moneyball story.

“I think there are some parallels with the Oakland A’s,” Tozer acknowledges. “Andrea, Steve and the management team at Tigers have been forward-thinking enough to question the status quo of an inefficient recruitment market.

“They made a huge number of changes in other areas outside of data too, and the coaching staff deserve enormous credit for the on-field performance. It’s really a much broader story of institutional reform, of which data is one part. Regardless of where the Tigers finish this season, the transformation that Andrea has overseen in two years is pretty extraordinary.”

Just as satisfying for Tozer, you sense, is that the ripples of rugby’s data revolution could reach far beyond the East Midlands.

“From a statistical perspective, I’m sure some rugby fans will continue to think that it’s a load of nonsense,” he finishes. “But for those who are open-minded, it would be nice if Leicester’s rebuild could be something of a turning point in how rugby thinks about data.

“Used in the right way, it can be pretty powerful stuff.”