While the players were providing the action on the pitch, scores of our JTC members were taking part in the first-ever Junior Tigers Club Takeover Day.
They took on roles including match announcer, programme designer and interviewer for Leicester Tigers TV. More than 70 members paraded the club flag around the pitch before kick-off and received the applause of the 22,000-strong Welford Road crowd.
Chris Rose, head of brand development, said: “This was our first Junior Tigers Club Takeover Day and it was great to see so many of our young supporters getting involved behind the scenes at Welford Road.
“They really got involved and did a great job of taking over a Leicester Tigers matchday.”
Natalie Freestone won the competition to design our ‘Be Part Of It’ posters, Sam Shackleton designed the match programme cover and Sam Doherty joined regular matchday announcer Martin Ballard to read out the teams ahead of kick-off.
Oliver Thorpe and Isabell Hutton picked up the microphone to get the post-match thoughts of George Chuter as well as interviews with Louis Deacon and Ed Slater.
Manu Tuilagi dropped by to sign autographs, pose for photographs and chat to young fans, and he drew the name of Reagan Smith out of the hat to be our JTC Matchday Mascot for the game.
Other Junior Tigers Club members braved the rain to take part in the pre-match parade.
Rose said: “We are already looking at what we can do for next year and are hoping for it to be even bigger, and a bit drier.”
The Junior Tigers Club is supported by Crusha and is the place for fans aged under 16 years to celebrate their support of the Tigers.
Join us at each home game in the JTC VIP area in Final Whistle for fun and activities with Welford the mascot and a Tigers player, and enjoy a free milkshake from the Crusha milkshake bar.
Membership of JTC is free and you can join now by clicking here
