Leicester Finish Top of the League
By TigerR
April 26 2010
Leicester Tigers won 40-22 against Harlequins and in the process gained the bonus point. Coupled with defeat for Northampton Saints, this win guaranteed Leicester will finish the season on top of the Guinness Premiership table. Before money became more important than sporting purity in the top flight of English rugby union, this would have brought silverware to Welford Road.
However this victory was treated as nothing more than routine by the players, the crowd and the club; there are two more victories that are needed and those after the final match of the ‘regular season’.
The game kicked off in beautiful sunshine with over twenty two thousand in the ground. Tigers were ahead inside three minutes when Toby Flood anticipated Care's pass on halfway and outpaced the Harlequins backs to score under the posts. Flood added the conversion and a penalty shortly after to give Tigers a 10-0 lead.
But Quins had come to attack at every opportunity and Danny Care picked up at a scrum and darted down the narrower side, chipped over the defenders and collected his kick to score. Quins were back in the match at 10-7.
The Tigers pack started to get on top and Geoff Parling stole line-out ball close to the Quins line and a series of close-quarter drives ensued. The visitors' defence held firm but illegally and Flood extended Tigers' lead to 13-7.
Leicester dominated possession and were awarded another penalty moments later when a promising break by Youngs drew a penalty for offside and Flood kicked the penalty to make the scoreboard look healthy at 16-7.
Harlequins were kicking off with considerable variety which was they way they drove Tigers into their 22 and an indifferent clearance kick was fielded by David Strettle whose mazy run made a couple of tacklers look silly before the ball was passed through Care to Lowe, who ran round under the posts. The conversion brought Harlequins to within two points.
Quins took the lead moments later when a Lowe break set up the field position for stand in fly half Clegg to drop a goal. This stunned the crowd and the half ended 17-16 to Harlequins.
Speculation on the Crumbie terrace was that Richard Cockerill’s half time talk would be rated 18 and this seemed conformed when Tigers began the second half strongly. The pressure and were rewarded when Chris Robshaw was yellow carded, a card that seemed to owe more to a series of penalties conceded by Quins in the first half than the seriousness of the one offence. Flood kicked the penalty to put Tigers 19-17 ahead.
Moments later Tigers cored their second try of the game. Quins kicked from their 22 but Johne Murphy ran the ball back through a hole in the chasing players and the wing took play back to the Quins 22. Quick ball gave Hamilton a run to the line but he was stopped just short. The ball was won quickly by the Tigers pack and Toby Flood put Matt Smith into space to score under the posts.
Tigers further pressed home their one man advantage when they scored another try shortly afterwards. A solid Tigers scrum drove the Harlequins towards their own line and Quins yielded a penalty, which Ben Youngs took quickly before the Quins could muster a defence, diving over on the right. Flood's converted.
A break from Toby Flood almost brought the bonus point midway through the half but scrambled Harlequins defence denied first Flood and then Hamilton. The bonus point and first place in the GP table was secured 10 minutes from time as the Tigers pack repeatedly pushed the Quins 8 back and they repeatedly infringed to prevent a push over try causing the referee to run under the posts to award a penalty try.
Tigers threw on all their remaining replacements and Harlequins came back with spirit to score their third try finished by replacement Marler.
The game kicked off in beautiful sunshine with over twenty two thousand in the ground. Tigers were ahead inside three minutes when Toby Flood anticipated Care's pass on halfway and outpaced the Harlequins backs to score under the posts. Flood added the conversion and a penalty shortly after to give Tigers a 10-0 lead.
But Quins had come to attack at every opportunity and Danny Care picked up at a scrum and darted down the narrower side, chipped over the defenders and collected his kick to score. Quins were back in the match at 10-7.
The Tigers pack started to get on top and Geoff Parling stole line-out ball close to the Quins line and a series of close-quarter drives ensued. The visitors' defence held firm but illegally and Flood extended Tigers' lead to 13-7.
Leicester dominated possession and were awarded another penalty moments later when a promising break by Youngs drew a penalty for offside and Flood kicked the penalty to make the scoreboard look healthy at 16-7.
Harlequins were kicking off with considerable variety which was they way they drove Tigers into their 22 and an indifferent clearance kick was fielded by David Strettle whose mazy run made a couple of tacklers look silly before the ball was passed through Care to Lowe, who ran round under the posts. The conversion brought Harlequins to within two points.
Quins took the lead moments later when a Lowe break set up the field position for stand in fly half Clegg to drop a goal. This stunned the crowd and the half ended 17-16 to Harlequins.
Speculation on the Crumbie terrace was that Richard Cockerill’s half time talk would be rated 18 and this seemed conformed when Tigers began the second half strongly. The pressure and were rewarded when Chris Robshaw was yellow carded, a card that seemed to owe more to a series of penalties conceded by Quins in the first half than the seriousness of the one offence. Flood kicked the penalty to put Tigers 19-17 ahead.
Moments later Tigers cored their second try of the game. Quins kicked from their 22 but Johne Murphy ran the ball back through a hole in the chasing players and the wing took play back to the Quins 22. Quick ball gave Hamilton a run to the line but he was stopped just short. The ball was won quickly by the Tigers pack and Toby Flood put Matt Smith into space to score under the posts.
Tigers further pressed home their one man advantage when they scored another try shortly afterwards. A solid Tigers scrum drove the Harlequins towards their own line and Quins yielded a penalty, which Ben Youngs took quickly before the Quins could muster a defence, diving over on the right. Flood's converted.
A break from Toby Flood almost brought the bonus point midway through the half but scrambled Harlequins defence denied first Flood and then Hamilton. The bonus point and first place in the GP table was secured 10 minutes from time as the Tigers pack repeatedly pushed the Quins 8 back and they repeatedly infringed to prevent a push over try causing the referee to run under the posts to award a penalty try.
Tigers threw on all their remaining replacements and Harlequins came back with spirit to score their third try finished by replacement Marler.
Leicester Finish Top of the League
Posted by: TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 26/04/2010 14:32
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Re: Leicester Finish Top of the League
Posted by: TigerChick (IP Logged)
Date: 26/04/2010 14:33
Another big thank you to roving reporter TigerR, for a super write-up.
Will update the site with news stories and reports. Supporting the Tigers fans community
Email me via tigerchick "at" ymail "dot" com (No spam!)
Will update the site with news stories and reports. Supporting the Tigers fans community
Email me via tigerchick "at" ymail "dot" com (No spam!)
Re: Leicester Finish Top of the League
Posted by: odd-shaped vagaries (IP Logged)
Date: 26/04/2010 20:13
Say: we are top of the league, say: we are top of the league!
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
Re: Leicester Finish Top of the League
Posted by: Tiggs (IP Logged)
Date: 26/04/2010 22:07
Thanks TigerR !!
Re: Leicester Finish Top of the League
Posted by: Stopsy (IP Logged)
Date: 27/04/2010 07:29
Thanks TigerR
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