“Allez Tigers”.

Andy Goode put the first points on the board after 8 minutes from a penalty. Tigers’ lineout was looking a bit dodgy in the first half losing 3 on their own throw. The only real threat of a try at this stage was when Geordan did a magnificent kick ahead but did not manage to take the ball. Ollie Smith also failed to gather it. But it must be said that the evergreen Dominici defended really well, against a lesser player we might have managed to score. Young Dimitri Szarzewski was lucky not to be yellow carded for a late shoulder charge on Leon Lloyd who once again was having a great game for Tigers.

On 14 minutes a penalty was given against Julian White for kneeing a Stade player. David Skrela missed the kick.

Mirco Bergamasco replaced the injured Lucas Borges after 18 minutes.

Although the two packs looked fairly evenly matches the 10lb per man weight difference was taking its toll on Stade Francais. Together with the fact that Julian and Wiggy were doing a great job on current French props Marconnet and DeVilliers, Tigers were putting in some impressive shoves both in the set scrums and the mauls.

After 20 minutes Hernandez failed with a drop goal attempt. Both sides were finding difficulty in breaching the strong defensive lines of the opposition.

Stade gave away a penalty for killing the ball after 24 minutes and Andy again converted; 6-0 Tigers.

Two minutes later Julian gave away another penalty which Skrela converted; 6-3 to Tigers.

Hernandez brought Stade back level with a successful drop goal. Vesty failed with a drop attempt but Tigers had already been awarded a penalty, which Goode converted, to give us a three point lead once again; 9-6. Only one minute later a penalty was given against Ollie Smith and Skrela equalised; 9 all.

Towards the end of the first half Luke Abraham replaced the injured Shane Jennings who again had been magnificent. However young Luke really stepped up to the mark and had a great game also.

Andy Goode then uncharacteristically missed a kickable penalty, which had been given against Stade for collapsing a maul. Stade were then given a mysterious penalty and Skrela succeeded in putting Stade 12-9 ahead at half time in a very closely contested match. It was nerve wracking with Tigers dominating in the tight but Stade having the better of the lineouts. Both sets of backs were playing imaginative rugby but failed to pierce the iron like defences of the opposition.

Eight minutes into the second half a penalty was given against Stade for coming in from the side. Andy Goode again failed to convert. Andy was having a bit of a mare at this stage. He then kicked a ball straight to the explosive Corletto who responded by kicking a magnificent drop goal from the half way line. Andy then threw a very telegraphed pass with was intercepted by young Italian Mirco Bergamasco who ran in the first try of the match unopposed. Skrela converted 22-12 to Stade. Things were looking a bit bleak for Tigers. In such a tightly fought match, would we be able to claw our way back into the game?

Ten minutes before the end of the game, Welford Road erupted when Louis Deacon showed an outstanding burst of pace to run in a try in the corner. Andy Goode had begun to redeem himself with a good chip to Geordan who was once again at his jinky best. He passed outside to Louis and, bingo, we were back in the game. The conversion, at the time, appeared to be one of the most important kicks of the season from a wide position, but Andy managed to put it over to bring the scores level at 22 all. We were back in the game. Deacon was replaced at this point by Cullen.

Harry Ellis and Tom Varndell had replaced Austin Healey and Leon Lloyd.

Five minutes later Dan Hipkiss, who was another who really stepped up and played tremendously well, crossed for Tigers’ second try. It followed a marvellous sequence of rucking, mauling, and driving forward play, in Stade’s 22, which was just too powerful to resist. Eventually Ellis passed quickly to Goode. The speed of transfer of Goode’s classy long pass to Murphy and, from him, to Hipkiss left the latter with clear space to score. Goode’s conversion put Tigers 29-22 ahead. With only 2 minutes to go, could we hold on? We did.

It was a magnificent display by Tigers. They really dug deep in the second half. Our forwards were dominant and the backs were playing some lovely flowing rugby which is something they have rarely achieved this season This match was the big one and Tigers really did step up for it.

Although Geordan was man of the match, it could have gone to nearly any of the Tigers players. Special mention should be made of our home-grown youngsters, Vesty, Hipkiss and Abraham who really did excel themselves. It was a top class display from the whole Tigers team.

Fantastic. Roll on Clermont. If Tigers continue to play like that we will be hard to beat.

We are leading the group and are masters of our own destiny.

As they say in France – “Allez Tigers".