Leicester Tigers claimed a bonus-point win with four tries in a 33-26 victory at Gloucester Rugby in the second round of the Gallagher Premiership season on Friday evening.
In a tense tussle under lights as Gloucester unveiled their new artificial pitch at Kingsholm, momentum swung one way and then the other with the outcome finally decided by tryline defence from the visitors with the clock already at 80 minutes.
Tigers, though, were never headed after getting off to a clinical start with 13 unanswered points in the opening 13 minutes as George Ford’s two penalties were followed by a converted try for Harry Wells.
After former Tigers prop Fraser Balmain got Gloucester off the mark, Ellis Genge forced his way over for an 18-7 lead on the half-hour.
Gloucester trimmed the deficit to just six by the break but the jousting continued as Harry Potter provided the first points after the restart, only for the hosts to again reply, though Ford’s third penalty finally provided some breathing space with the lead at nine points.
Then with less than quarter of an hour to go, Nic Dolly steered a forward drive over the Cherry and Whites’ line, adding another try to the double he scored in Round 1 victory over Exeter, and although Tigers then conceded a fourth and braved the final few moments a man down after a yellow card, their defence stood up to the task of closing out a hard-earned five-pointer.
Tigers won both of last season’s meetings and for the return to Kingsholm, Steve Borthwick gave first starts of the season to Jack van Poortvliet and Eli Snyman while Matt Scott made his first playing appearance at the venue since ending a two-year stay at Gloucester in 2018.
The game was just over two minutes old when Ford landed a 35-metre penalty and, from five metres further back, he knocked over another before Wells provided the first try, quickly spotting an opportunity at a breakdown on the whitewash to dot down.
But, in the style that the game would follow the remainder of the evening, there was an almost immediate response.
Gloucester, building phases in their first real attack, reached almost up to the line where prop Balmain picked up to score. The conversion from Lloyd Evans brought it back to 7-13 and signalled an increase in volume from the stands in Gloucester’s opening home game of the season.
But some quick thinking from Tigers brought the next try for Genge, soon after home full-back Kyle Moyle had been sin-binned in defence. Penalty ball on the left quickly turned into an opportunity on the right after van Poortvliet and Ford linked up for the captain to drive over and put 11 points between the teams.
Ruan Ackermann then finished in the right-hand corner from a quick, long pass as the lesad was trimmed again just before half-time.
Potter then produced a solo finish to set Tigers on their way, Ben Youngs releasing the wing in the centre of the pitch after fielding a clearing kick. There was still a lot of work to do but the Tigers wing cut through the first tackle and, even when he met another defender just short of the line, he managed to wriggle free to score next to the posts, giving Ford the chance to add the conversion for a 25-12 advantage.
The game was still not put to bed, though, and the home crowd sensed a fightback when centre Mark Atkinson, fresh from a call into England’s training squad this week, pushed his way over from a series of attacking phases, bringing the gap down to six points.
Ford’s third penalty of the evening provided vital breathing room before Dolly struck the killer blow. It was a penalty from Ford which set the platform, kicking down the right touchline to reach touch five metres out, and the hooker taking control as his pack got their leg-drive going towards the line to make it three scores in a week and secure at least a bonus point.
Gloucester kept going, though, with penalties pushing them into the left-hand corner where they made use of an extra man when Ollie Chessum was yellow-carded to score their fourth of the evening. Jack Clement made the final push to set up the nervous finale, made more tense when Ford narrowly missed a penalty before the visitors stood up to a final push to secure the five points.
Commentary
80
HARD-EARNED POINTS
Let's collect our thoughts for a moment...
Nic Dolly is announced as BT's man of the match at the end of a Round 2 win for the Tigers.
Recovery starts now for Round 3 v Saracens at home next Saturday. G'night all.
AWAY WINNERS
That defence at the end just does enough and Tigers have a 33-26 bonus-point win in Round 2.
Tries from Martin, Genge, Potter & Dolly for Tigers.
Gloucester also get four.
80
KITCHEN SINK
Gloucester throw everything at the line, Tigers throw everything at Gloucester.
Finally, they are closed out.
80
LAST CHANCE?
Gloucester clear lines with a free-kick. But Steward is under it and Tigers want to wrap up ball for the final seconds.
But they hear the whistle with the clock on 0.00 and it's a Gloucester penalty. They go to the left...
78
TENSE FINISH
Ford just wide with a penalty, two minutes to go, six points in it at 26-33 to the visitors.
77
Go Harry
Potter wriggles through a gap and when he is tackled, Gloucester are over-keen at the breakdown, giving Tigers a penalty just outside the 22.
76
TICK TICK TICK
Lineout Leicester... scrum Gloucester... a good tackle in midfield halts their progress and Tigers then force a knock-on.
KICK IS GOOD
Hastings adds the conversion. This is an interesting finish...
BONUS GLOUCESTER
Jack Clement provides the finish from the lineout drive. Try No4 for the hosts.
MAN DOWN
Yellow card for Ollie Chessum after a couple of penalties in defence.
68
WIDE OF THE POSTS
Ford misses the conversion but Tigers lead 33-19 with one point in the bag from the four tries.
NIC OF TIME
Bonus-point try... lineout in the right-hand corner after an amazing penalty from halfway by Ford. Nic Dolly takes the steering wheel and gets over.
CHIP AND IN
Scrum penalty goes Tigers' way near to the right touchline. Ford makes sure of the three points.
TWO MORE
Evans adds the conversion to bring it back to within a score.
NUMBER THREE (2)
Gloucester have a couple of penalties and have an advantage as centre Atkinson goes over under the posts.
TWO MORE
Ford adds the conversion for a 13-point lead at 12-25
NUMBER THREE
What a try from Harry Potter. Quick pass from Youngs, Potter breaks the tackle and sprints towards the line. He's tackled just short but adjusts his feet and bounces off to score.
50
OFF THE BENCH
Green and Youngs on for Snyman and JVP.
50
ROCK SOLID
Gloucester have a couple of penalties on the 5-metre line but Tommy Reffell is first on to the ball as they go again and Ford can clear with a penalty in front of the posts
49
BACK IN DEFENCE
An over-cooked clearing kick brings play all the way back to the Tigers 22 and a Gloucester scrum. They play to the left but make an error.
They still have the ball though and try to build pressure in their right-hand corner. It's now a lineout in a dangerous position.
45
GET OFF
Genge flattens an attempted tackle from Meehan.
But when Tigers lose the ball, Gloucester's counter-attack almost brings a score as Seabrook hacks on but just runs out of pitch.
41
READY TO GO AGAIN
The teams are back out. No changes for Tigers, Ollie Thorley returns from HIA for Gloucester.
Under Friday night lights, Tigers lead 18-12 at the break at Gloucester.
40
TIME FOR A BREAK
Half-time 12-18. A bright start from Tigers, who led by 13 points before Gloucester's rally. A couple of missed chances in the 5-metre zone but the visitors still lead by 6.
HALF-TIME
Two tries each, Martin & Genge for Tigers, Balmain and Ackermann for the hosts. Another big 40 to come...
37
PLAIN NASTY
The spiral bomb comes out to play from Ford and causes horrible problems in the Gloucester 22.
Tigers gain a lineout at close range but then spill ball.
36
Evans is off the target with his conversion from the right touchline, Tigers in front by 6 approaching half-time.
IN REPLY
Gloucester sweep across to the right and the long pass picks out Ruan Ackermann who runs into the corner for their second score soon after Moyle returns from his yellow card.
29
SCOOPED SHORT
Ford is off target with the conversion but Tigers lead 18-7 on a pretty frantic night at Kingsholm.
GET IN THERE
Tigers go to the line and win a penalty. They go quickly and Ford links with Van Poortvliet to give Genge the ball 10 metres out. He is in on the right.
26
PUMP IT UP
Volume increases as the referee lifts his arm in Gloucester direction. Safe to say the home crowd are enjoying this more and more.
24
SO CLOSE
Referee Tom Foley has to check with TMO Wayne Barnes but it's no try as Tigers attack the line again. Instead, it's one of the new drop-outs from Gloucester.
END TO END
Tigers win ball from a Gloucester lineout in their own 22 and shift ball along the line to the left. Nadolo takes the shortest route up the wing but the move is stopped fractions short of the line with a penalty award.
Tigers go again and think they've scored. Anyway, home full-back Moyle is sin-binned
AND THE EXTRAS
Lloyd Evans with the conversion.
ON THE BOARD
Gloucester break through, playing advantage, they attack the tryline and after a tackle from Nadolo, it is Fraser Balmain who picks up to score.
The referee checks replays of Billy Twelvetrees at the breakdown but awards the score.
Ford adds the conversion kick while we try to identify who to credit for the score... It's George Martin.
OVER THE TRYLINE
There's a pile of bodies, the whistle goes, the home crowd goes silent. It's a try for Tigers.
10
DOWN THE LINE
Good play along among the backs and a nice chip through from Nadolo puts Gloucester under pressure in the corner, but they manage to clear towards the 22.
UP AND OVER
Penalty to Tigers, 5 metres further back this time, given after Harry Potter is taken out in the air. Ford makes it again.
OPENER
Two early penalties go Tigers' way and Ford calls for the tee from close to 40 metres. He thumps it through the posts for a 3-0 lead on 3 minutes.
1
HERE WE GO
It’s George Ford to get the game started for Tigers in the white, black and orange change kit under the Friday night lights here at Gloucester.
0
TICKING DOWN TO KICK-OFF
Counting down to kick-off, the Tigers have finished their final warm-up on Gloucester's new artificial pitch and have headed back into the tunnel. We will be under way in 5 minutes' time.
Stay tuned in as we bring you all the latest right here on Matchday Live.
0
AND THIS IS HOW GLOUCESTER LINE UP
15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Tom Seabrook, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Lloyd Evans, 9 Ben Meehan; 1 Harry Elrington, 2 Jack Singleton, 3 Fraser Balmain, 4 Ed Slater, 5 Andrew Davidson, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Lewis Ludlow (c), 8 Ben Morgan
Replacements: 16 Henry Walker, 17 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 18 Kirill Gotovtsev, 19 Freddie Clarke, 20 Wian Conradie, 21 Jack Clement, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Adam Hastings
0
HOW TIGERS LINE-UP
15 Freddie Steward, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 George Ford, 9 Jack van Poortvliet; 1 Ellis Genge (c), 2 Nic Dolly, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Eli Snyman, 6 George Martin, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Hanro Liebenberg
Replacements: 16 Tom Cowan-Dickie, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Calum Green, 20 Ollie Chessum, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Guy Porter
0
WELCOME TO MATCHDAY LIVE!
We’re LIVE from Leicester Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership trip to Gloucester Rugby this evening. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Follow all the action with our Matchday Live coverage right here on the Tigers App and LeicesterTigers.com.
0
MATCH PREVIEW | ROUND 2
Tigers and Gloucester kick off a weekend of Gallagher Premiership this evening having already completed a half-century of encounters in the top flight.
Fifty of the previous 227 meetings of the teams have come in Premiership Rugby.
Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick brings Jack van Poortvliet and Eli Snyman into the line-up after starting on the bench in the Round 1 win over Exeter Chiefs, and Joe Heyes is included in the matchday squad for the first time since his England debut in the summer.
Gloucester head coach George Skivington includes fellow former Tigers trio Billy Twelvetrees, Ed Slater and Fraser Balmain in his starting XV and Leicester academy graduate Jamal Ford-Robinson among the replacements.
Tigers won both fixtures last season, winning at home on the opening weekend of the season and at Kingsholm in March.
The visitors will wear the club’s change kit of white, black and orange this weekend.
Read all the important facts and stats in our full match preview HERE.