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Report | Tigers and Bears play out draw

Figure image

Leicester Tigers and Bristol Bears played out a 26-all draw at Ashton Gate in Round 12 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.

A missed penalty-goal attempt for the Bears in the final play of the game ended the home side's hopes for a second-half comeback, which included two tries in the final 15 minutes when Leicester were down to 14 men following a red card for Francois van Wyk.

The Bears were first to score, six minutes into the evening encounter, when Semi Radradra crossed on the end of a sweeping play to the left.

Back-to-back penalty goals from Freddie Burns took the visitors into the lead approaching the end of the first quarter in Bristol before the home side took back the lead with a try for Charles Piutau and conversion from Calum Sheedy.

Approaching the half-hour mark at Ashton Gate, Semi Radradra was sent to the bin for a high tackle on Burns and the visitors made the most of the extra man almost immediately when Dan Kelly scored in his first appearance of the league campaign.

Chris Ashton found his way over the chalk for his 98th Premiership try just four minutes later when the winger injected himself into an attack on the left-hand side of the field.

Tigers crossed for their third in the final stages of the first half when Julián Montoya crashed over at the back of a well-executed driving maul from close range and Burns - who had just returned after passing his HIA from the Radradra hit - landed the conversion from out wide to see Leicester lead by 11 at the break.

Neither side bothered the scoreboard attendant in the first 22 minutes of the second-half before Burns added three to the Tigers tally from the kicking tee and then saved a certain score for the home side with a try-saving tackle in the corner.

Back-to-back scores for the home side levelled the match at 26-all, where it remained after AJ MacGinty missed a chance to secure a comeback victory with a long-range penalty-goal attempt in the final play of the game.

Match Details

HT ScoreHalf Time Score

BRI 12-23 LEI

FT ScoreFull Time Score

BRI 26-26 LEI

Attendance

Not available

Referee

Craig Maxwell-Keys

Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears
26

Full Time

Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
26
Bristol Bears
T
T
C
T
T
C
T
C
KOHTFT
Leicester Tigers
P
P
T
T
P

Match Stats

Bristol Bears
Leicester Tigers
Possession
51%
49%
Territory
56%
44%
Penalties Conceded
14
6
Yellow Cards
1
0
Red Cards
0
1
Tackles Won
107/129 83%
134/157 85%
Scrums Won
8/8 100%
6/6 100%
Lineouts Won
7/7 100%
16/17 94%

Player Stats

Bristol Bears
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
TCDP
15Freddie Steward
14Chris Ashton1T
13Guy Porter
12Dan Kelly1T
11Anthony Watson
10Freddie Burns1C3P
9Ben Youngs
1James Whitcombe
2Julian Montoya1T
3Dan Cole
4Harry Wells
5Ollie Chessum
6Hanro Liebenberg
7Tommy Reffell
8Jasper Wiese
16Charlie Clare
17Francois van Wyk
18Joe Heyes
19Eli Snyman
20George Martin
21Jack van Poortvliet
22Charlie Atkinson
23Harry Potter

Commentary

NOTHING BETWEEN THEM

The game finishes level at 26-all here in Bristol.

CON | BRISTOL BEARS

We are level at 26-26 with two minutes left on the clock. 

TRY | BRISTOL BEARS

The home side score down the right hand touchline to level it up with three minutes remaining.

DOUBLE SWITCH

Julián Montoya and Harry Wells are replaced in the pack by Charlie Clare and Eli Snyman with 10 minutes on the clock. 

RED | FRANCOIS VAN WYK

Tigers down to 14 men for the remainder of this game after Francois van Wyk is shown a red card. 

CON | BRISTOL BEARS

The difference is now seven points with 15 minutes remaining after the successful conversion attempt.

TRY | BRISTOL BEARS

A patient build-up from the home side, ruck by ruck, and they go over from close range.

REPLACEMENTS MADE

George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Potter have been brought into the action by Steve Borthwick in place of Tommy Reffell, Dan Cole and Dan Kelly

62

TRY-SAVER

Freddie Burns with a try-saving tackle in the right hand corner, forcing Bristol into touch after they regather from the re-start.

PEN | FREDDIE BURNS

The lead is out to 14 points with 18 minutes remaining as Freddie Burns adds three from the kicking tee.

58

ELEVEN POINTS

No change to the scoreline from the break with eleven points still the difference here in Bristol approaching the hour mark.

FIRST CHANGES

Our first changes of the night are made as Jack van Poortvliet and Francois van Wyk are injected into the game in place of Ben Youngs and James Whitcombe.

48

FIRST OF THE NIGHT

Approaching the 50th minute of this match and we concede our first penalty of the match.

45

FAST START

Both sides have come out looking to play after the break here in Bristol.

BACK IN ACTION

The second chapter of this one is about to be written as Bristol Bears get us underway after the break.

HALF TIME IN BRISTOL

It's an eleven-point lead for Leicester Tigers at the break over Bristol Bears.

TRY | JULIÁN MONTOYA

Approaching the break, Julián Montoya crashes over for our third at the back of a well-executed driving maul from a 5m line out.

36

CONVERSION MISSED

We lead by four points with as many minutes remaining in the first half after the conversion attempt is waved away.

TRY | CHRIS ASHTON

Chris Ashton goes over down the left, chiming into the backline after a patient build-up from the pack sets up the chance deep inside the Bears end of the field. 

30

CONVERSION MISSED

Charlie Atkinson, who has come on for Freddie Burns who is off for a HIA, misses the chance to add two points as we tick past the half hour mark.

TRY | DAN KELLY

In his first appearance of the season, Dan Kelly crashes over for our first try of the night after running a brilliant line from close range.

YELLOW |BRISTOL BEARS

Semi Radradra is shown yellow and sent for a 10 minute break after a high shot on Freddie Burns, who has been taken from the field for a HIA.

CON | BRISTOL BEARS

The home side extend their lead to six points after 24 minutes as Calum Sheedy converts their second try from out wide.

TRY | BRISTOL BEARS

The home side have a second, through Charles Piutau, after moving the ball quickly through the hands to the right on the back of a line-out deep inside the Tigers half.

PEN | FREDDIE BURNS

We are in the lead, by just the lone point, after 20 minutes as Freddie Burns sends his second penalty-goal attempt through the posts.

20

PRESSURE PAYS OFF

A chance to add to our tally, with a penalty awarded in front of the posts, and take the lead after pressure in attack pays off deep inside the Bears half.

PEN | FREDDIE BURNS

Our first points of the evening come through the boot of Freddie Burns, landing a penalty-goal from near in front to cut the deficit to two points after 16 minutes.

10

TERRITORY BATTLE

Both sides searching for territory early on here in Bristol on a fast track.

7

CONVERSION MISSED

The conversion attempt fades away from Calum Sheedy, seeing the difference remains five after seven minutes in Bristol.

TRY | BRISTOL BEARS

The home side are the first to register points, through Semi Radradra, after finding space out wide with some quick hands to the left touchline. 

KICK OFF

Freddie Burns gets us going under the lights at Ashton Gate...

0

NOT LONG NOW...

We are just minutes from getting underway in Bristol as both sides complete their final preparations on the Ashton Gate pitch.


Opposition Lineup

Starting XV

15
Charles Piutau
14
Deago Bailey
13
Semi Radradra
12
Piers O'Conor
11
Gabriel Ibitoye
10
Callum Sheedy
9
Will Porter
1
Ellis Genge
2
Bryan Byrne
3
Max Lahiff
4
Joe Batley
5
Chris Vui
6
Steven Luatua
7
Samuel Lewis
8
Jake Heenan

Replacements

16
Harry Thacker
17
Jake Woolmore
18
Jay Tyack
19
John Hawkins
20
Daniel Thomas
21
Andy Uren
22
AJ MacGinty
23
Joe Jenkins

Team News | Tigers side to play Bears

Figure image

Steve Borthwick has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad to play Bristol Bears.

The Leicester Tigers Head Coach welcomes back Freddie Steward, Ben Youngs and Jack van Poortvliet from international duty for the trip to Ashton Gate in Round 12 of this season’s Gallagher Premiership.

Dan Kelly, who is yet to feature in the 22/23 campaign, will make his first start after returning from injury.

After returning off the bench in last weekend’s win over London Irish at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Ollie Chessum is named for his first start since September alongside Harry Wells in the Leicester second-row.

The match will be the 100th starting appearance for Wells.

Jasper Wiese, who returned to club action in Round 11 after the Autumn Test window, will start at No8 for the first time since mid-October.

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [60]
14 Chris Ashton [19]
13 Guy Porter [48]
12 Dan Kelly [43]
11 Anthony Watson [5]
10 Freddie Burns [110]
9 Ben Youngs [287]
1 James Whitcombe
2 Julián Montoya (vc) [30]
3 Dan Cole [298]
4 Harry Wells [163]
5 Ollie Chessum [35]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [67]
7 Tommy Reffell [84]
8 Jasper Wiese [48]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [60]
17 Francois van Wyk [25]
18 Joe Heyes [107]
19 Eli Snyman [25]
20 George Martin [46]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [53]
22 Charlie Atkinson [3]
23 Harry Potter [48]

* First appearance of the 2022/23 season

posteamteam namepldwdlfadifftftatblbpts
3
Leicester Tigers
Leicester TigersLEI2011185604907073669459
9
Bristol Bears
Bristol BearsBRI208111515536-2172659447
Form Guide
Form
WLLWW
Last Match
Beat Northampton Saints 52-21
Past Meeting
Won 25-14
Form
Last Match
Past Meeting
Form
LWWLL
Last Match
Lost to Gloucester Rugby 25-27
Past Meeting
Lost 14-25

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