Oops they did it again, Leicester Tigers and Gloucester produced an absolute thriller at Kingsholm to provide a memorable start to the Aviva Premiership season.
After the last encounter with the West Countrymen back in April, The Tig devoted an entire blog to the subject of memorable matches between the two clubs. In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights:
A 27-27 draw at Welford Road in 2006/07 after the home team had looked in control.
Tigers becoming the first team to win a Premiership semi-final away from home with a last-gasp Andy Goode drop goal clinching a place in the final at the expense of top seeds Gloucester at Kingsholm in 2007/08.
Tigers kicked off the following season with another win at Kingsholm, rubbing salt into the wounds as Toby Flood grabbed a late interception try on his debut.
Or do you recall Geordan Murphy’s 60-metre drop goal in a win over Gloucester at Welford Road?
There was an incredible 41-41 draw from the 2010/11 season, mainly memorable for the image of Alesana Tuilagi diving in to score in front of the capacity crowd as part of a hat-trick and also for the interception try from Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu in the last minute for the visitors. Lest it be forgotten, Freddie Burns still had to land the resulting conversion for a share of the points.
What about a win by a single point at Gloucester last season when Tigers went ahead for the first time with a Tommy Bell conversion 90 seconds from the end. It was a day that also featured a length-of-the-field try which would have graced any rugby occasion.
And then the Welford Road meeting last season. Leading 10-3, losing 27-10, winning 35-30. Or, as Tigers summarised on their Twitter feed “Try For, Try For, Try Against, Try Against, Try Against, Try For, Try For, Try For, Phew.” What the Tweet did not mention was the defence on our own line at the end of the game, climaxed by Peter Betham winning a penalty and, ultimately, the day for the Tigers.
Now we’ve had another breathless encounter. To refresh the Twitter action from last year, Tigers could have posted: “Try Against, Try For, Try Against, Try Against, Try Against, Try For, Try For, Try For, Try For. Wow” at Kingsholm on Friday.
And just how many heroes were there in that final phase of the game? Matt Smith’s aggressive defence on halfway, Sam Harrison’s perfect punt into touch, George McGuigan and Graham Kitchener at the lineout, Will Evans at the base, all of the forwards (and several of the backs) who drove for the line, then Sam’s determination to get the ball down before adding the conversion with the clock already past 80 minutes.
Like we said here back in April, perhaps it is only Tigers versus Saints which has produced anything like the drama of meetings with Gloucester in recent years. For the good all everyone’s health, it’s probably best that we don’t play them again until February.
After the last encounter with the West Countrymen back in April, The Tig devoted an entire blog to the subject of memorable matches between the two clubs. In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights:
A 27-27 draw at Welford Road in 2006/07 after the home team had looked in control.
Tigers becoming the first team to win a Premiership semi-final away from home with a last-gasp Andy Goode drop goal clinching a place in the final at the expense of top seeds Gloucester at Kingsholm in 2007/08.
Tigers kicked off the following season with another win at Kingsholm, rubbing salt into the wounds as Toby Flood grabbed a late interception try on his debut.
Or do you recall Geordan Murphy’s 60-metre drop goal in a win over Gloucester at Welford Road?
There was an incredible 41-41 draw from the 2010/11 season, mainly memorable for the image of Alesana Tuilagi diving in to score in front of the capacity crowd as part of a hat-trick and also for the interception try from Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu in the last minute for the visitors. Lest it be forgotten, Freddie Burns still had to land the resulting conversion for a share of the points.
What about a win by a single point at Gloucester last season when Tigers went ahead for the first time with a Tommy Bell conversion 90 seconds from the end. It was a day that also featured a length-of-the-field try which would have graced any rugby occasion.
And then the Welford Road meeting last season. Leading 10-3, losing 27-10, winning 35-30. Or, as Tigers summarised on their Twitter feed “Try For, Try For, Try Against, Try Against, Try Against, Try For, Try For, Try For, Phew.” What the Tweet did not mention was the defence on our own line at the end of the game, climaxed by Peter Betham winning a penalty and, ultimately, the day for the Tigers.
Now we’ve had another breathless encounter. To refresh the Twitter action from last year, Tigers could have posted: “Try Against, Try For, Try Against, Try Against, Try Against, Try For, Try For, Try For, Try For. Wow” at Kingsholm on Friday.
And just how many heroes were there in that final phase of the game? Matt Smith’s aggressive defence on halfway, Sam Harrison’s perfect punt into touch, George McGuigan and Graham Kitchener at the lineout, Will Evans at the base, all of the forwards (and several of the backs) who drove for the line, then Sam’s determination to get the ball down before adding the conversion with the clock already past 80 minutes.
Like we said here back in April, perhaps it is only Tigers versus Saints which has produced anything like the drama of meetings with Gloucester in recent years. For the good all everyone’s health, it’s probably best that we don’t play them again until February.
