Streetwise Tigers take it

By Jason Harris
October 27 2002

Champions Leicester Tigers hung on for a 26-18 victory in the face of sustained Saracens attack during the last quarter and wing Geordan Murphy compounded Sarries misery by converting a speculative 40m drop goal in injury time to deny the Men in Black what could be a vital Premiership bonus point.

Two tries apiece was a fair reflection of play in a rousing contest let down only by some dreadful officiating from Alan Lewis and one of his touch judges.

The foreign words in the songs sung by the half time tenor made more sense to most of those at the ground than some of the decisions taken by Mr Lewis who was inconsistent, spineless and even downright arrogant.

Several times the Irishman ignored his touch judge colleagues when they had flagged for foul play and refused to give any latitude to the side that was trying to play and expansive game (Saracens) in difficult, windy conditions. In short, he was only there to be seen, not to officiate a rugby match.

Leicester had a try disallowed in the second half when the referee finally consulted his touch judge whose flag was aloft for well over a minute after reserve scrum half Jamie Hamilton had used his boot illegally to free the ball from a ruck.

The ensuing play went through five phases and a full 60 metres as Leicester thought they had scored in the corner. But for a third attempt at intervention by the merry flag waver and a good proportion of the Lower Rous stand shouting "Touch judge! Touch judge!" the try could well have stood. Quite frankly, Lewis was disgraceful. How the man is on the international panel of referees defies belief.

The double European Cup winners came, saw and spoiled throughout and their style of play was not pretty to watch. However, their pick-and-drive tactics worked very effectively as Sarries failed to marshal the fringes properly and gave Leicester pack easy metres around the rucks and mauls.

Tim Stimpson opened the scoring after just three minutes with a penalty goal but Sarries failed to reply until just after the quarter. Andy Goode, hindered by the swirling wind and uprights that flapped around more than Matt Dawson at the base of a ruck, missed three prior attempts before levelling matters with a penalty of his own.


The hits went in hard from both sides as they tried to get the upper hand. Sarries were giving the ball plenty of air as all the backs were involved. Tigers kept it in narrow channels but made plenty of headway nonetheless. Indeed, Leicester nearly crossed for a try but were denied by some intervention from Kevin Sorrell. The referee deemed Sorrell's actions illegal and promptly despatched the Sarries centre to the sin-bin.

Stimpson duly popped over the penalty as Leicester tried to make their one man advantage count. In a rare move that went wide to the touchline, they threw a speculative ball out wide to wing Steve Booth, but opposite number Tom Shanklin picked off the pass and raced half the length of the field to score in the corner. Goode missed the extras, but Sarries were now ahead 8-6.

Leicester continued to pressurise the under-strength home side and they went in at half time - 17 seconds early courtesy of Mr Lewis - ahead after Stimpson's third goal made it 9-8 to the visitors.

Sarries were caught cold immediately after the second half kick-off. After failing to gain possession from the kick, it was Leicester that plucked the ball from under their hosts noses and the ball was shipped out to the left wing where Booth grounded the football just before he uprooted the corner flag. A superb touch line conversion from Stimpson pushed his side out to a 16-8 lead.

Back came Saracens as the levels of personnel went in their favour after Tigers no8 Martin Corry - a thorn in Sarries side all afternoon - was sin-binned. The Men in Black tried very hard to move the ball wide at every given opportunity and it paid off when Man-of-the-Match Shanklin set up an opportunity for Thomas Castaignede. The mercurial Frenchman still had a lot of work to do, but he beat the two defenders and scored from 30 metres out. Goode found his range once more to add the extras and Sarries were back on terms at 15-16.

Leicester were then denied their second try after the aforementioned officiating shenanigans and Sarries had a chance to take the lead with the resulting penalty kick. Goode, unfortunately, missed and the game was still in Tigers' hands.

Several Sarries chances went begging as Leicester looked on the rack. However, Tigers are at their most dangerous when they're cornered and the visitors duly extended their advantage with a try from Geordan Murphy which was goaled by the faultless Stimpson.

The home side, now more than once converted try behind at 23-15 and they threw everything into last ditch attack. Time after time the Men in Black lay siege to the Leicester line, only for some heroic defence and unforced errors to deny them.

With seconds remaining in regulation time, Andy Goode converted a penalty that looked to get Sarries a much-deserved bonus point, but Murphy had the last word for Tigers who sealed their first away win in the league in seven months.




Saracens:
Tries: Shanklin, Castaignede.
Conversions: Goode
Penalties: Goode

Leicester Tigers
Tries: Booth, Murphy
Conversions: Stimpson (2)
Penalties: Stimpson (3)
Drop Goals: Murphy