Tigers take Advent-age of Weakened Bristol

By Tyger of Pan Tang
December 24 2006

Leicester overwhelmed Bristol 43 - 15 at Welford Road to claim top spot from the previous leaders. The Tigers ran in six tries to inflict only the second defeat in Bristol's league season and move ahead on points difference.

Bristol kicked off, and Leicester mauled immediately back and fed on to Lloyd who made excellent ground but was well shepherded towards touch. However, Leicester worked back infield, maintained possession and probed the Bristol defence. Fortunately, they knocked on and Bristol had a chance to gain possession from the scrum. Bristol went for touch and Leicester threw crookedly, giving Bristol another chance. Having won a rather shaky-looking scrum Bristol made some progress and won another. Jason Strange chipped into space and Varndell was bundled over the try line for a Bristol 5-m scrum. The ball went Marko Stanojevic, who became isolated and gave away a penalty for holding on. Leicester relieved the pressure with a good kick. From a crooked throw-in it was Bristol’s turn for a kick which went for touch. Leicester though came away from the lineout with the ball. A penalty was awarded for Bristol foul play and Mariano Sambucetti was yellow carded with nearly 15 minutes of play gone.

Leicester maintained possession for a while and then the sides exchanged a few high kicks with the advantage ultimately going to Leicester. Varndell made a break before the forwards took it on and Bristol gave away a penalty dead in front of the posts. Humphries promptly made it 3 – 0. From the restart Leicester immediately gave away a penalty for offside to give Strange a chance to equalise; which he narrowly did: 3-all.

Leicester won another lineout and went back on the attack. They went close, only for the ball to go loose and Walter Pozzebon to kick the ball downfield with Stanojevic rapidly following up. Varndell gave away the penalty for holding on but Strange was just right of the posts. Bristol won back possession and made some good ground. A chip ahead wasn’t followed up by Bristol but Leicester surprisingly knocked on under no pressure. The scrum was outmuscled in the absence of Sambucetti and Leicester made the most of it by breaking back downfield; Humphries kicked on and Jenkins scored under the posts: 10- 3 to Leicester with 25 minutes played.

Sloppy play from Bristol gave the ball back to Leicester. The ball went towards the Bristol line and the pressure was really on. Surprisingly Leicester failed to score with a clear overlap. A 5 metre scrum was their reward and they drove it on, Bristol giving away a penalty in their efforts to prevent the try. The forward pressure stayed on from the penalty as Humphries went through the overstretched defence and scored the try but failed with the conversion. 15 - 3 with half an hour gone.

Bristol tried to get back into the game but a clumsy knock-on gave possession back to Leicester and a kick from Humphries took play right back into the Bristol half. Leicester were clearly on top at this point and after a patch of scrappy play the forwards kept possession in the Bristol half. Patient play moved them clear to a scoring chance and Bristol just could not get hold of the ball. Chuter looked to have gone over in the corner but Brian Lima just managed to force him into touch and Bristol escaped. Strange cleared the danger, but nearly seven minutes remained. Bristol then gave away another penalty at the lineout and Leicester had a chance which Humphries struck into the post to give Bristol a brief respite. They managed to get the ball downfield but only had a scrum to show for it and then knocked on as they came under pressure from the dominant Leicester pack. Eventually though Bristol got the ball and went for the line. Saul Nelson became isolated and Leicester won back the ball, making superb ground and Bristol conceded another penalty. Leicester tapped and went for the line and the try went to Crane. Strange was sin-binned together with a Tigers player, for fighting. The conversion was made making the score 22 - 3 at half-time.

Play started with Leicester driving towards the Bristol line as they strove for the bonus point try. The ball went over the line under the posts but the referee was unable to see if the ball was grounded. From the 5 metre scrum another penalty went against Bristol. Leicester drove again, but incredibly contrived a knock-on to give Bristol the put-in. The home side won against the head but a desperate defensive kick hacked the ball out to the 22 metre line and Leicester came away with nothing. Only briefly though, as they stormed back with a kick behind the defence and Varndell gratefully pounced. The conversion was easily made and it was 29 - 3. Leicester soon won yet another lineout on the Bristol throw and hammered the ball back into the Bristol half. Bristol managed to secure the consequent lineout but the clearing kick was part charged down and the pressure was back on, but fortunately a knock on by Leicester gave Bristol a chance to get away from their line.

Leicester were soon back on the attack as Vesty split the Bristol defence and fed on to Hipkiss who went through to score untouched by a defender. The conversion was a formality and it was 36 – 3. From a penalty Bristol went for touch but the lineout remained a lottery for Bristol and Leicester mauled the ball back into the Bristol half and Bristol conceded yet another penalty. Bristol had no answer to the Leicester forward dominance and were struggling to contain any attack by the Tigers. From one more penalty Leicester went for touch and the ball went out to Varndell who made great territory. The Leicester forwards gathered and took the ball over for the sixth try as the final quarter began. The try was awarded to Deacon, Burke converted against a former club and it was 43 - 4.
Bristol now managed to retain some possession and strung together a few phases. They held onto the ball for several minutes, perhaps for the first time in the game. A long, nearly intercepted, pass went out to David Lemi and he was in at the corner. The difficult conversion was made to look easy by Strange and it was 43-10. Leicester were stung back into action and patiently built some territory. Eventually Bristol managed to isolate the ball carrier and were able to get back into the Leicester half.

Bristol were still under pressure at the scrum and coughed up possession. Fortunately, Leicester passed shockingly forward. Sean Hohneck made a good break and then Bristol took a quick penalty to get close to the Leicester line. Another penalty to Bristol was then scrummaged. Lewis just about kept the ball, won a penalty and tapped the ball. Bristol were held up and had an attacking scrum. The ball went out to Josh Taumalolo and then swiftly onto Lemi who went in again at the corner. The conversion was just wide to leave the score at 43-15 with just a few minutes to go. Leicester went back into the Bristol half, but their lineout now misfired and Bristol got possession back and went over onto the attack. Unfortunately they were unable to make anything of it and the game came to a close.

Merry Christmas everyone, and see you at Ashton Gate on Wednesday!