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Match Day Round Up by Benjamin Kika

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Boris Stankovich led out the Leicester Tigers, who were looking very confident for the game ahead.

The Tigers mascots left the pitch and the game began with a kick from Andy Goode. After 3 minutes the London Wasps had already scored an unfortunate penalty taken by ex-Tigers player Goode, taking the score to London Wasps 3, Leicester Tigers 0. Tigers attacking in the line-out thanks to the strength of Jordan Crane. London Wasps then replaced Tom Lindsay for Carlo Festuccia.

The Tigers pushed forward in the scrum, Ben Youngs found the ball and started to get the Tigers on the run. Things quickly picked up pace for Tigers and they had a fantastic run thanks to a great pass from Youngs.

Eventually the Tigers got a penalty taken by Owen Williams. Unfortunately, Williams kick was quite unlucky and went slightly wide. Minutes later, Matt Tait got hold of the ball and started a great attack until it was kicked up the pitch for a Wasps line-out. Number 2 for Wasps came back on for number 16.

Tigers won a great line-out, a good pass from Youngs into the arms of unstoppable Manu Tualagi who scored an amazing try with 3 Wasps players on his back!!! That great try was then converted by Williams.

The London Wasps then made a strong run, but Tualagi luckily blocked the Wasps attempt at a try. This defence from Tigers was short lived, as later on the Wasps ran past Blaine Scully to score a try leaving poor Scully beating himself up. The Wasps try was scored by Guy Thomson and converted by Andy Goode taking the score to Tigers 7, Wasps 10.

Matt Tait made another amazing run as he passed to Niki Goneva. Goneva then scored a great try, the sell out crowd went mad! taking the score to Tigers 12, Wasps 10. Williams got a great conversion ending the first half - Tigers 14, Wasps 10.

Half time

Tigers led out by captain Ed Slater, a kick from Williams starts the second half, with the line-out won by Tigers. Tigers used all their strength to push closer to the line. Then a substitute for Tigers - Fraser Balmain on for Mulipola and Stankovich off for Marcos Ayerza. Tigers get the ball and make a brilliant run, then the Manu machine powers through the defenceless Wasps squad, but unfortunately Williams misses the conversion. Tigers 19, Wasps 10.

Some brilliant defending by Tigers as Tualagi intercepts and gets the ball with Williams kicking ball into touch. Tigers then replace Matt Smith for Toby Flood. The Wasps get the ball and start to make a run to the try line. Luckily the ref (Mr Andrew Small) kindly gave the Tigers a scrum and they managed to make a good run to the try line. Ben Young's had been doing some great setups, but eventually he began to get tired so Richard Cockerill brought on David Mele.

As soon as the Tigers had made a substitute, the Wasps made one. Andy Goode off and Joe Carlisle on. The play went on for a few minutes with some good runs and defence from Tigers. Then a substitute is made for the Tigers - Rob Hawkins comes on and Tom Youngs goes off. Then, the Wasps make a substitution and the Tigers make a further substitution Geoff Parling comes on and Graham kitchener goes off. The substitutes must have made a difference because the Tigers were making good progress up the pitch.

The referee luckily gave the Tigers a penalty which allowed Owen Williams to take the score to Tigers 22, Wasps 10. When the Wasps got the ball they kicked it out for the Tigers line-out. Then the Wasps won the line-out they were pushing for a try but the Tigers defence was too good for the Wasps. Then the Tigers make a substitute Jordan Crane off and Pablo Matera on. However, the Tigers defence went and the Wasps scored a try it was scored by Tommy Bell taking the total to Tigers 22, Wasps 15.

The Tigers won the line-out and push to the line in a maul which David Mele broke out of and scored a last minute try, Williams takes to conversion but narrowly misses bringing the score to Tigers 27, Wasps 15.

A great victory for Tigers!