TIGERS MATCHFILE

– MATCHFILE –

MONTPELLIER 18-17 LEICESTER TIGERS

Friday May 21 2021 / European Challenge Cup Final Attendance: 10,000 / Referee: Mr Andrew Brace

LEICESTER TIGERS

15 Freddie Steward 14 Guy Porter 13 Matías Moroni 12 Dan Kelly 11 Nemani Nadolo 10 George Ford P/2C 9 Richard Wigglesworth 1 Ellis Genge 2 Tom Youngs (c) 3 Dan Cole 4 Harry Wells T

5 Calum Green 6 Hanro Liebenberg 7 Tommy Reffell 8 Jasper Wiese T 16 Charlie Clare 17 Luan de Bruin 18 Joe Heyes 19 Cameron Henderson 20 Tommy Reffell 21 Ben Youngs 22 Zack Henry 23 Kini Murimurivalu MONTPELLIER:Bouthier, Vincent, Goosen, Serfontein, Rattez, Lozowski, Paillaugue; Forletta, Guirado (c), Haouas, Verhaeghe, Willemse, Ouedraogo, Camara, Becognee. Reps: B Du Plessis, Rodgers, Lamositele, Duguid, J Du Plessis, Reinach, Pollard, N’gandebe

Tigers were beaten by a single point as Montpellier lifted the silverware at Twickenham.

After a day of heavy rain and strong winds, conditions had improved for kick-off with the crowd enjoying a chance at last to attend live sport.

Montpellier were warned about their indiscipline early on after a series of penalties, before George Ford opened the scoring with a 25-metre kick on eight minutes.

The lead lasted just a few minutes as Vincent Rattez kicked down the touchline in the left-hand corner and just got a hand to the ball ahead of Matias Moroni as it bounced wickedly on the tryline. Benoit Paillauge added the conversion and then a penalty for a 10-3 advantage.

Tigers lost Guy Porter and Cyle Brink to injury in the opening half-hour but levelled the scores when more pressure ended with a yellow card for Alexandre Becognee and, after a 20-metre lineout drive, Harry Wells reached over the pile of bodies to score and Ford converted.

Nemani Nadolo almost added another at the start of the second half as he dived into the corner but, when Montpellier had skipper Guilhem Guirado sin-binned, Tigers piled forward again for Jasper Wiese to score from a maul. Ford converted from the touchline for a 17-10 lead.

After a penalty from Paillaugue, Montpellier set up a try from a counter-attack finished by Johan Goosen and, though the conversion bounced out off both posts, they led by a point and maintained that to the close.

NOTEBOOK…

First final since 2017 Anglo-Welsh Cup, first European final since 2009… Tigers have now played 25 finals at Twickenham, winning 12… Club’s first game with crowd in UK since February 2020… Ben Youngs set club appearance record with 75th Euro game… Montpellier win trophy for second time in five years.

QUOTE... “I’m proud of the team’s efforts, 41 players have played in this tournament and given an opportunity for 23 guys to go out there and represent Tigers. We have been about moving the ship forward and I felt we did that today.”

Tom Youngs

– LAST TIME OUT –

WORCESTER WARRIORS 17-18 LEICESTER TIGERS

Saturday May 29 2021 / Gallagher Premiership Round 20 Attendance: 3,100 / Referee: Mr Karl Dickson

LEICESTER TIGERS

15 Zack Henry 2P/C 14 Kobus van Wyk 13 Matt Scott 12 Dan Kelly 11 Nemani Nadolo 10 Johnny McPhillips 9 Ben Youngs (c) 1 Ellis Genge 2T 2 Charlie Clare 3 Joe Heyes 4 Harry Wells 5 Cameron Henderson 6 Hanro Liebenberg 7 Tommy Reffell 8 Jasper Wiese 16 Tom Youngs 17 James Whitcombe 18 Dan Cole 19 Tomás Lavanini 20 George Martin 21 Jack Van Poortvliet 22 Kini Murimurivalu 23 Harry Potter WORCESTER: Shillcock, Humphreys, Lawrence, Venter, Doel, Smith, Hougaard; Thomas, Annett, Tyack, Kitchener, Clegg, Hill (c), Lewis, Kvesic. Reps: Miller, Black, Andrews, Batley, Hatherell, Simpson, Weir, Heward

Two tries from Ellis Genge helped Tigers to victory and a home-and-away seasonal double against Worcester Warriors.

Tigers conceded tries at each end of the first half to trail 14-6 at the break before hitting back.

The opening score of the day came from Worcester fullback Freddie Shillcock wide on the right and, although Zack Henry landed two penalties to cut the gap to a point, Ted Hill then forced his way over after breaking two tackles in front of the posts.

Warriors added a penalty to that advantage early in the second half before Genge twice forced his way over the tryline from close range.

First, after hooker Niall Annett had been sin-binned in defending at a maul close to his own line, the Tigers prop took a tap penalty and barged over with the support from his colleagues. Henry’s conversion came back off the top of the post with the score at 17-11.

Then when another lineout drive was stopped illegally, Tigers issued instant punishment as Genge made the final push from a maul on the left and Henry’s conversion put his team in front for the first time on 57 minutes, to the delight of the travelling fans gathered at that end of the stadium.

After losing by a point in a European final a week earlier, now it was Tigers’ turn to wind down the clock in possession and take the four points.

NOTEBOOK…

First game of the league season played with a crowd… Two tries for Ellis Genge in successive league matches… First win at Sixways since March 2018 and a first away victory since Round 13.

QUOTE... “To win is pleasing but what stands out for me at the moment is how we won a game but still have disappointed bodies in the changing room because of the performances we want to achieve and we didn’t get some things right today.”

Charlie Clare

360°

TACKLING TOMORROW. TOGETHER.

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