Leicester Tigers have claimed the Slater Cup on an emotional day at Kingsholm Stadium, earning a 38-20 bonus-point win against Gloucester in round seven of the Gallagher Premiership.
A double from Ollie Hassell-Collins and a stout performance by Tigers’ forward pack earned Leicester their third win of the Gallagher Premiership season.
Tigers looked up for it early, forcing their way into Gloucester’s 22-metre area, and forcing a penalty which Pollard converted to make it 3-0.
That shot at goal seemed to wake the home side up, and after winning the territory battle for the next period of the game, Gloucester levelled proceedings from the tee.
The Cherry and Whites were on top, and although Tigers came close to scoring a try, it was Gloucester who would take the lead, 6-3.
Momentum shifted once again, as Tigers found some energy through Josh Bassett and captain, Julián Montoya, who’s pilfer penalty gave Pollard the chance to make it 6-6, and the World Cup winnner made no mistake.
Tigers pressed on and earned another penalty to take the lead.
Then, on the stroke of half time, Hassell-Collins took the only concrete chance of the half to push the score to 14-6, and that’s how it stayed at the break.
Leicester would concede after the break but Gloucester’s resurgence wouldn’t last long as Montoya crossed off the back of a maul.
Hassell-Collins would then bag his brace off the move of the day, the England international going over in front of the shed.
Gloucester crossed once more, but Tigers were determined to pinch a bonus-point, and the telling score would come with the last touch of the game as Solomone Kata snuck over the line.
The final score from Gloucester, 38-20.
Commentary
TIGERS RETAIN THE SLATER CUP
Leicester have retained The Slater Cup with a bonus-point away win over Gloucester at Kingsholm.
TRY | SOLOMONE KATA
Pressure pays off for Leicester, with the clock in the red, as Solomone Kata picks up a loose ball from a ruck - with Gloucester in attack - and dives over to score the bonus-point try for Tigers!
DOUBLE CHANGE FOR LEICESTER
Ben Youngs and Freddie Steward are done for the day and replaced by Tom Whiteley and Jamie Shillcock in the Tigers backline.
PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Tigers are out to an eleven-point lead, with nine minutes left, after another Handré Pollard penalty-goal.
ROGERSON ON FOR REFFELL
Matt Rogerson is used by Dan McKellar, with ten minutes remaining, and replaces Tommy Reffell in Leicester's back-row.
70
BACK TO 15 ON 15
Gloucester's Jack Clement is back into the match after his sin bin ends.
WHITCOMBE ADDED TO FRONT ROW
In place of James Cronin, James Whitcombe is brought on at loosehead prop for Leicester with just over ten minutes left.
CON | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Leicester's lead is cut to eight points, 20-28, with 13 minutes remaining after George Barton lands the conversion attempt.
TRY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
The home side hit back, while a man down, after a patiently worked attack, ruck by ruck, and it's front-rower Jamal Ford-Robinson who gets across the chalk for Gloucester.
WELLS BROUGHT ON
Harry Wells is added to the Leicester pack in place of Cameron Henderson with 15 minutes remaining.
63
SIN BINNERS BACK ON FIELD
Ollie Chessum and George Barton are back on the pitch after serving their sin bins.
CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Handré Pollard converts from out wide to make it 13-28 after 63 minutes at Kingsholm.
TRY | O11IE HASSELL-COLLINS
Ollie Hassell-Collins has a double after an impressive build-up from Tigers, including a barnstorming drop-out return from Jasper Wiese and some impressive interplay by the Leicester backs, sees the wing in space down the touchline.
60
TIGERS DENIED BY GLAWS
The home side hold on in defence after being peppered by Leicester on their line and prevent Tigers extend their lead into double digits.
YELLOW CARD | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Gloucester are down to 13 men, for the next three minutes, after a cynical play from Jack Clement on his side's line in defence results in a yellow card.
MONTOYA'S RETURN COMPLETE
Julián Montoya, in his first outing of the season, is replaced near the hour mark by Charlie Clare.
CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Handré Pollard converts his skipper's try to make it an eight-point lead, 13-21, after 56 minutes in Kingsholm.
TRY | JULIÁN MONTOYA
Julián Montoya celebrates his return to action with a try, from the back of a dominant driving maul, and Leicester's lead is out to six points after 55 minutes.
KATA INTO THE GAME
Solomone Kata is brought on in the midfield by Dan McKellar to replace Dan Kelly.
YELLOW CARD | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Both sides are now at 14 after George Barton receives a yellow card for head-on-head contact in the tackle with Handré Pollard.
COLE JOINS THE ACTION
Dan Cole is on for Tigers in place of Joe Heyes in the front-row.
YELLOW CARD | OLLIE CHESSUM
Leicester go down to 14 men for the next ten minutes after Ollie Chessum is shown a yellow card for an incident at the maul before the try.
CON | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
George Barton converts from out wide to make it a one-point game, 13-14, with half an hour remaining at Kingsholm.
TRY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
A lineout, 5m out, is brought down by Gloucester and driven towards the Leicester line before George McGuigan breaks away from the back and crashes over to score.
45
TERRITORY BATTLE ONGOING
Both sides have come out with the intention to win the territory battle, through the boot, in the opening minutes of the second half.
BACK UNDERWAY IN THE SLATER CUP
Gloucester, trailing Tigers 6-14, get the second half going at Kingsholm.
TIGERS LEAD AT THE BREAK
Leicester take an eight-point, 6-14, lead into the Kingsholm changing rooms after an entertaining opening half in Gloucester.
TRY | O11IE HASSELL-COLLINS
Ollie Hassell-Collins crosses out wide after slick, quick hands from Leicester find the left wing and does the rest to beat the last Gloucester defender and score out wide.
PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Leicester take back the lead, 6-9, as Handré Pollard makes it three from three from the tee in the 35th minute at Kingsholm.
PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD
We are level again, 6-6, after a long-range penalty-goal from Handré Pollard in the 32nd minute.
PEN | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
The home side take the lead for the first time this afternoon, closing in on half an hour of play, with a George Barton penalty-goal making it 6-3 at Kingsholm.
26
ANOTHER ATTEMPT OFF THE POSTS
George Barton is again unable to add three from the tee, from nearly 40m out, as his attempt comes back off the uprights to see it remain 3-3 after 26 minutes.
23
SCORES REMAIN LEVEL
Another missed chance for the home side as a penalty-goal attempt fades to the right of the posts in the 24th minute.
20
QUARTER OF THE WAY
We are 20 minutes into The Slater Cup in Gloucester and all tied up at 3-3 after an entertaining, exciting opening quarter.
PEN | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
We are level at Kingsholm after a George Barton penalty-goal from halfway makes it 3-3 in the 17th minute.
13
BARTON HITS THE UPRIGHTS
George Barton hits the posts with a penalty-goal attempt in the 12th minute and it remains Leicester in the lead, 0-3, at Kingsholm.
10
TIGHT AFTER TEN IN GLOUCESTER
Still just three points, 0-3, separating the sides at Kingsholm after ten minutes.
5
ATTACKING OPENING
Both sides showing plenty of intent to play with ball in hand early on here in Gloucester this afternoon after five minutes.
PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD
After dominating possession in the opening minutes, Tigers are on the scoreboard with a penalty from Handré Pollard making it 0-3 after as many minutes.
HERE WE GO...
We are underway in Gloucester, in Round 7, as Handré Pollard gets The Slater Cup going from halfway!
-5
FIVE TO GO AT KINGSHOLM
We are just FIVE minutes from kick-off in The Slater Cup at Kingsholm!