Tigers kick start the Zurich 'A' League campaign

By TigersTart
December 17 2003

Tigers kicked off their first game of the all-new Zurich “A” League on Monday evening at Welford Road with an exhilarating commanding victory over Rotherham 48-19, where Leicester ran in 8 tries.

The Zurich “A” League has seen the abolishment of the Extras and the U21s into this new format, where the north and south are split into two groups and whoever are the winners of both Leagues play each other in a 2-legged final to be crowned National Champions. Tigers have Sale, Leeds, Newcastle, Northampton and Rotherham in their group, with games played home/away on Monday evenings. The emphasis is upon developing younger talent from each club.

Leicester combined senior players with a range of younger lads – notably lock James Hamilton was back from suspension, powerhouse Henry Tuilagi started, new summer signing Ross Broadfoot took the helm at No.10 and Luke Myring came back from concussion at Leeds to make another start at No15. Glenn Gelderbloom provided experience as Captain. Rotherham’s team contained a few internationals, as well as younger players, notable their Fijian scrumhalf Jacob Rauluni who came off the bench.

Tigers kicked off and within a minute, they had already put their mark on the game. The forwards caught the hanging ball, drove down field towards the clubhouse, with Tom Tierney recycling and passing out wide to Myring, who came into the line from fullback, and Joe Ajuwa was on the end of the line to run in to touch down. Broadfoot missed the conversion, as it was a tight angle from the touchline.

Rotherham replied with two penalties, struck by their fly-half Phil Jones, as Leicester infringed in the 8th and 13th minute. In between those scores, Henry Tuilagi left the crowd applauding him, as his brother Freddie watched on, as he powered over the line in the 10th minute. From Tigers re-start and a following scrum, the Leicester forward unit drove to the line and Henry used his strength to get over. Broadfoot missed the conversion, as it was a tight angle from the touchline.

The best move of the whole game was to follow. Tigers kicked off through Broadfoot, caught the ball and drove the ball. At the lineout, Hamilton rose high to catch Tigers ball, but was brought down, so Myring kicked the penalty to touch. The ball was spun wide from the lineout, with Tuilagi hanging back and coming in form deep to storm through Rotherham’s defence and power over again. It was like Henry came from Welford Road Prison and was planning a break out, such was his ferocity. Broadfoot capped a gem of a try with the conversion in the 17th minute, making the score 17-6.

Rotherham fly-half Jones struck another penalty in the 19th minute but they had not really come close to scoring a try, as Leicester’s defence was its trademark tight ship.

Tigers produced two other sweet tries before the half time whistle, adding to their extending score line and putting Rotherham under more pressure. In the 20th minute, Jones kicked the ball out for Rotherham, but Broadfoot charged down the kick, hacked on down the left wing, in front of the cheering standing terrace, beat a few defenders to touch down in the corner. Broadfoot converted his own try. After long periods of play, Tigers forwards drove the ball, which was recycled back to Tuilagi, down the back line to Captain Gelderbloom, who ran in towards the touch line, and passed back inside to winger John Holtby who scored. Broadfoot added the conversion, which made the half time score 31-9.

During half time, Leicester put on a number of substitutes. Hooker Stuart Friswell came on for Chuter, utility back Tim Taylor came on for Tierney, with Taylor going to No15 and Myring moving to No9, Steve Glithreow came on for Gelderbloom and Brett Deacon came on for Holtby, with Tuilgai moving to wing and Deacon in the back line.

Tigers struck the first blow within the second half, as scrum-half Tierney crossed over the line in the 7th minute. Five minutes later, it was Broadfoot taking the applause, as Leicester ran the ball, passed wide and then back inside to the fly-half who scored. Broadfoot converted his own try, making the score 43-9.

Rotherham gained momentum in the second half as they had some replacements on the field. Leicester still had the upper hand, as after some sustained pressure, Tigers scrum developed into a rolling maul and prop Ricky Nebbett was underneath the pile over the line. Broadfoot missed the conversion, but the prop’s try extended the lead to 48-9. In the 60th minute, NO9 Nathan Jones came on for Broadfoot, with Jones slotting in at No9 and Myring moving to No10.

In the 63rd minute of play, there was a nasty clash of heads between lock Tom Ryder and prop Rob Cooke, who had only recently come on as a replacement. After an 8-minute stoppage, Ryder was assisted off the field by Tigers staff and Cooke was stretchered off. Happily, reports from Tigers indicate that both players have no serious injury.

Tigers seemed to take their foot of the accelerator, as Rotherham’s growing pressure in the second half told. In the 33rd minute, Lee Starling crossed and in the 38th minute, Neil Starling scored. The conversions were missed, so the game ended with at 48-19.

The game was fast paced and very energetic – just what a large crowd needed for a very cold Monday evening. Tigers have successfully attracted large crowds for the past two games that have been on a Monday night, a few weeks ago against Cambridge University (4,000) and this Zurich “A” League game (3,964). The policy of sending out tickets, which can admit up to 4 people, to all Season Ticket holders is attracting a large crowd. For more seasoned U21/Extra and Development supporters, it means you cannot more as freely as normally, as the terraces are quite full.

Ultimately the slick passing and recycling and interaction between both forwards and backs made the game quick and free flowing for Tigers. The forwards created a solid platform and grafted hard all evening, notably Tuilagi, and were involved in back line play as well. The backs were engaging and alive, seeking out opportunities. Myring showed his credentials as he played at No9, No10 and No15 within one game, handling all positions confidentially. Taylor was his usual energetic self. In the first half Tigers exemplified control and put in a refreshing performance but they lost some of their momentum in the second half conceding two late tries. The good feeling that the Gwent victory brought saw the momentum carry on into the Zurich “A” League game.

Scoring sequence:
1 min Tiger try Joe Ajuwa 5-0
8 mins Rotherham pen Phil Jones 5-3
10 mins Tigers try Henry Tuilagi 10-3
13 mins Rotherham pen Phil Jones 10-6
17 mins Tigers try Henry Tuilagi 15-6
Tigers con by Ross Broadfoot 17-6
19 mins Rotherham pen by Phil Jones 17-9
20 mins Tigers try by Ross Broadfoot 22-9
Tigers con by Ross Broadfoot 24-9
25 mins Tigers try by Holtby 29-9
Tigers con by Ross Broadfoot 31-9

47 mins Tigers try by Tom Tierney 36-9
52 mins Tigers try by Ross Broadfoot 41-9
Tigers con by Ross Broadfoot 43-9
59 mins Tigers try by Ricky Nebbett 48-9
73 mins Rotherham try by Lee Starling 48-14
78 mins Rotherham try by Neil Starling 48-19

Tries: Ajuwa, Tuilagi (2), Broadfoot (2), Holtby, Tierney, Nebbett
L Starling, N Starling
Cons: Broadfoot (4/8)
Jones (0/2)
Pens: Jones (3)

Date: Monday 15th December 2003
Time: 7pm k/o
Weather: very, very cold
Crowd: 3,694
Ref: did not catch his name!

Man-of-the-match: Broadfoot, for his command of the game, distribution and engaging play, which included two converted tries
Sin-bin: none

Tigers team:
15 Luke Myring
14 Joe Ajuwa
13 Glenn Gelderbloom (CAPT)
12 Alex Dodge
11 John Holtby
10 Ross Broadfoot
9 Tom Tierney
1 Michael Holford
2 George Chuter
3 Ricky Nebbett
4 Tom Ryder
5 James Hamilton
6 Will Johnson
7 Will Skinner
8 Henry Tuilagi

Reps: 16 Stuart Friswell (40 mins on for 1 Chuter), 17 Matt Hampson (27 mins on for 18 Cooke), 18 Rob Cooke (57 mins on for 6 Johnson), 19 Brett Deacon (40 mins on for 11 Holtby – Deacon to No8 and Tuilagi to wing), 20 Nathan Jones (59 mins on for 10 Broadfoot – Jones go to No9 and Myring to No10), 21 Steve Glitherow (40 mins on for 13 Gelderbloom) and 22 Tim Taylor (40 mins on for 9 Tierney – Myring move to scrumhalf and Taylor in at fullback)

Rotherham team:
15 Jason Strange
14 Neil Starling
13 Lee Blackett
12 Jason Keyter
11 Garteh Morley
10 Phil Jones
9 Charlie Harrison
1 Steve Salvin
2 Neil Briggs
3 Dan Dorsey
4 Dan Cook
5 Jonathan Pendlebury
6 Tom Rice
7 Neil Spence
8 Geriant Lewis
Reps: 15 Chris Venter, 17 Simon Sharrott, 18 Glen Kenworthy (7-9 mins on for 1 Salvin BLOOD), 19 Lee Starling (57 mins on for 6 Rice), 20 Jacob Rauluni (57 mins on for 9 Harrison), 21 Matt Rhodes and 22 Gareth Brear