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Report | Tigers defeated in Prem Cup Final

Figure image

A ten-point away defeat to Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm meant Leicester Tigers finished runners-up in the 23/24 Premiership Rugby Cup.

It was a territorial battle between the sides during the opening period, predominantly through the boot, looking to force their opponents into an error in their own half and gain an early opportunity.

The home side dominated possession early on, with more than 80% of the ball after 15 minutes, but the Tigers were able to repel Gloucester's attack with a strong defensive display.

A penalty against Josh Bassett on the halfway line presented Gloucester with a chance to add the first points, after opting to take a shot for three from the tee, but the penalty-goal attempt fell inches short of the crossbar. 

Soon after, approaching the 20-minute mark, a Tom Whiteley break from the base of the ruck saw the scrum-half in space deep inside the Gloucester end, but he was brought down just metres from the line and the hosts were able to turn over the ball and deny the first try of the game.

The next opportunity for Leicester came as the Kingsholm clock ticked over into the 25th minute when Gloucester were penalised just inside their own side of the halfway line and Handré Pollard landed the long-range attempt to register the first points of the game and see Tigers into a three-point lead. 

Just five minutes later and Pollard extended it to a six-point lead with his second penalty goal of the night after the Leicester pack earned the opportunity with back-to-back dominant scrums forcing the officials into penalising Gloucester's set piece.

Approaching the break and repeated infringements from Tigers not only allowed Gloucester into the visitor's end but also forced Referee Jack Makepeace into going to his pocket, with Finn Theobold-Thomas the unlucky Leicester player to be shown a yellow card.

The home side, after a handful of unsuccessful attempts with ball in hand, opted to get themselves on the scoreboard with a penalty goal from near in front of the posts from George Barton to make it 3-6 at half-time. 

Not long after the sides returned to the field, the TMO was called upon by Makepeace to check for a potential Gloucester try - which was sent upstairs as No Try - and no conclusive evidence of a grounding meant the score was disallowed.

While the Tigers defensive effort to deny Gloucester had the visitors buoyed, it was quickly removed with Mike Brown shown a yellow for an infringement at the breakdown in the build up which took Leicester down to 13 men with Theobold-Thomas' still in the sin bin for a further three minutes.

The two-man advantage proved helpful to the home side at a scrum on the Tigers try-line and, against the feed, they won a penalty and took a quick tap from the infringement and scored their first try through Sebastien Atkinson.

Barton converted the score from in front of the posts to take his side to a 10-6 lead with just over thirty minutes remaining.

Two minutes later and Gloucester were in again, this time through Cam Jordan, after some expansive play from the home side saw them deep into the Leicester half and the lock, just two phases later, pushed his way over from close range.

Barton was again successful from the tee following the Jordan try to extend his side's lead to eleven points, 17-6, with 27 minutes left at Kingsholm.

A third, in as many minutes, looked likely from the re-start when Gloucester - with a three on one in attack - broke free but couldn't convert it into points after a successful scramble from Tigers defenders in retreat forced an error from the home side.

However, from the scrum following, again against the feed, Gloucester won a penalty and Barton landed the penalty goal attempt to extend their lead to 20-6 with 25 minutes remaining,

The next restart proved more positive for Leicester when Hanro Liebenberg won a penalty at the breakdown following Pollard's kick-off and the visitors kicked for the corner for a chance from close range. A second penalty came the way of Tigers from the set piece but the ensuing lineout couldn't be converted into points after losing possession in the first phase on Gloucester's line.

Discipline continued to plague Leicester who, with just twenty minutes remaining, trailed the penalty count 9-3 and in the 64th minute looked to have three more added to the deficit, only for a Barton penalty-goal attempt to go wide.

But, less than a minute later, a no-arms tackle from Liebenberg offered up another chance for the Gloucester fly-half and he took them with ease from in front of the posts to take his side's lead to 17 points, 23-6, in front of a vocal Kingsholm crowd. 

Barton missed another chance to extend his side's lead by three in the 70th minute which, despite a late try to Liebenberg, converted by Pollard, did not prove costly as Gloucester held on to record a 23-13 victory to win the 23/24 Premiership Rugby Cup Final.

Match Details

HT ScoreHalf Time Score

GLO 3-6 LEI

FT ScoreFull Time Score

GLO 23-13 LEI

Attendance

Not available

Referee

Jack Makepeace

Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester Rugby
23

Full Time

Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
13
Gloucester Rugby
P
T
C
T
C
P
P
P
KOHTFT
Leicester Tigers
P
P
T
C

Match Stats

Gloucester Rugby
Leicester Tigers
Possession
55%
45%
Territory
49%
51%
Penalties Conceded
9
14
Yellow Cards
1
2
Red Cards
0
0
Tackles Won
125/148 84%
126/147 86%
Scrums Won
5/5 100%
5/7 71%
Lineouts Won
11/11 100%
10/11 91%

Player Stats

Gloucester Rugby
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
TCDP
15Mike Brown
14Josh Bassett
13Matt Scott
12Dan Kelly
11Ollie Hassell-Collins
10Handre Pollard1C2P
9Tom Whiteley
1Francois van Wyk
2Finn Theobald-Thomas
3Joe Heyes
4Harry Wells
5Sam Carter
6Hanro Liebenberg1T
7Matt Rogerson
8Kyle Hatherell
16Archie Vanes
17James Whitcombe
18Dan Richardson
19Olly Cracknell
20Emeka Ilione
21Sam Edwards
22Jamie Shillcock
23Phil Cokanasiga

Commentary

FULL TIME AT KINGSHOLM

Gloucester Rugby claim the 2024 Premiership Rugby Cup.

The hosts took advantage of Tigers' successive sin bins early in the second half and the defecit was just too great as Leicester threw the kitchen sink at Gloucester late on.

Congratulations to the Cherry & Whites.

Final score: Gloucester Rugby 23 - 13 Leicester Tigers

CONVERSION | Handré Pollard

Pollard adds the extras, just a couple of minutes left here at Kingsholm.

TRY | FINN THEOBALD-THOMAS

A bevy of huge carries from the likes of Ilione and Cracknell as Tigers come flying in with just a handful of minutes remaining before Theobald-Thomas finally drives over.

PENALTY MISSED| GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Barton takes a shot from halfway but he's off target.

68

HOSTS MADE ADVANTAGE COUNT

Tigers were sent down to 12 men after only a handful of minutes of the second half and Gloucester made their advantage count, forcing penalties and using their overlap to score a rapid fire succession of tries and penalties.

With just shy of ten minutes remaining, it's an uphill battle for Leicester Tigers.

PENALTY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

This time Barton makes no mistake, adding three points from virtually in front of the posts.

63

PENALTY MISSED | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Barton, in an almost carbon copy of his previous penalty, misses the upright this time, pulling his kick to the left of the posts.

PENALTY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

George Barton adds the three points after a Gloucester break from halfway had got the hosts up to the 10 metre line.

CONVERSION | GEORGE BARTON

Barton adds the extras and Gloucester further their lead.

TRY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

Just a handful of minutes later, lock Cam Jordan drives over from short range. With Tigers down to 13, the hosts are stretching the defence and edging their way up field before Jordan drives over from short range.

CONVERSION | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

The hosts stretch their lead through Lloyd Evans.

TRY | GLOUCESTER RUGBY

The hosts make their men advantage count, sending bodies flying in and Seb Atkinson diving over for the game's first try.

46

TUMULTUOUS START

Tigers look to seize the impetus early and press the hosts back into their own half but a break on halfway from No. 8 Zach Mercer gets Gloucester voices raised.

His offload finds Barton who offloads himself but Tigers have scrambled back well and a bundle of bodies goes over the line; with no clear grounding, it's given as held up.

BACK UNDERWAY

Tigers recieve the ball as we enter the second 40 minutes, Pollard trucking it up to the line with a dynamic carry to start things off.

HALF TIME AT KINGSHOLM

An entertaining match sees Tigers lead at half time in the 2024 Premiership Rugby Cup final.

Two booming kicks from Handré Pollard hand Tigers a three point advantage, with Gloucester narrowing the scores right on the stroke of half time.

Half time score: Gloucester Rugby 3 - 6 Leicester Tigers

PENALTY | GLOUCESTER

The hosts get their first points of the match; with Tigers defending on their own line, a tap penalty maneuver sees the Cherry & Whites force a penalty in front of the posts, dispatched by fullback Lloyd Evans.

Finn Theobald-Thomas is shown a yellow card as a result of the penalty and the referee blows for half time.

Half time score: Gloucester Rugby 3 - 6 Leicester Tigers

 

PENALTY | Handré Pollard

Pollard typically makes absolutely no mistake, smashing the kick through the posts to scattered Tigers cheers from around Kingsholm.

Tigers double their lead in the Premiership Cup final.

25

Set piece dominance

The set piece has been faultless thus far from a Tigers perspective; both the line out and scrum have been immense as Tigers win a very kickable penalty forty metres out after folding a Gloucester scrum.

PENALTY | Handré Pollard

Handré Pollard gets the opening points of the game, slotting the three with aplomb from almost the halfway line.

20

ENTERTAINMENT BUT SCORELESS THUS FAR

Tigers enjoy the best chance of the match so far; Tom Whiteley, who recently signed a new deal in Leicester, ghosts through the defence after a show and go on halfway before being hauled down just inches from the line.

With his pop pass intercepted, the West Country side clear their lines but yet another perfect lineout from Theobold-Thomas sees the a slick move launched from the set piece, Hassell-Collins almost breaking free.

15

PENALTY MISSED | GLOUCESTER

The home side go for goal after Tigers were penalised for offside but the 45 metre distance is just too far for fly half George Barton.

Shortly before the penalty was given, Josh Bassett has made the biggest hit of the night thus far, almost spearing opposite man Ollie Thorley out of his boots.

10

Gloucester into the game

With Tigers on top initially, a knock on from Mike Brown following a long box kick allowed the home side their first opportunity of the match.

From the scrum, the likes of Ruan Ackermann and Zach Mercer drive in but Tigers are doubling up and blitzing well in defence, not allowing any ground to be gained or territory ceded in their own 22.

The closest Gloucester come is a neat move out the back including prop Val Rapava Ruskin but captain Hanro Liebenberg reads it superbly and harries back to make a vital tackle.

2

TIGERS LEAD EARLY EXCHANGE

All the rugby is in the Cherry and White's half thus far as Tigers have probed in midfield and sent a delicate kick into the corner for Ollie Hassell-Collins to harry his opposite number.

A Tigers knock on gives Gloucester a chance at the scrum but a superb drive at the set piece gets Leicester on the front foot, their aggressive defence forcing them back 10 metres and forcing a clearance kick.

KICK OFF AT KINGSHOLM

Fireworks and pyrotechnics erupt from around the ground as the teams emerge from the tunnel. The 2024 Premiership Rugby Cup final is here!

Handré Pollard gets us underway, booting high into the Gloucester night sky.

-10

TEN MINUTES TO GO

We're packed out here in Gloucester and, with warm ups complete, Tigers have entered the changing rooms to finalise preperations.

Pop the kettle on and get settled on the sofa or grab a pie and take your seat in the stands as the 2024 Premiership Rugby Cup is coming your way very shortly.

-25

TENSE ATMOSPHERE HERE AT KINGSHOLM

There's a big match feeling inside Kingsholm tonight, with both teams not only fighting for silverware but also to become the first to lift all three iterations of domestic knockout silverware in English Rugby (the original RFU Knockouts cup, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Premiership Rugby Cup).

An absolutely packed Shed stand has been bouncing with Cherry & White since gates opened, while there's a strong Tigers contingent dotted throughout the ground.

You can read the full Match Preview here or take a look back at Leicester Tigers history of success in domestic knockout competitions here.

-30

30 minutes till kick off!

There's just half an hour till the 2024 Premiership Rugby Cup final gets underway at Kingsholm!

Tigers look to win their first silverware of the 23/24 season as well as a first under Head Coach Dan McKellar.

Watch LIVE on TNT Sports or catch all the updates here on Matchday Live!


Opposition Lineup

Starting XV

15
Lloyd Evans
14
Alex Hearle
13
Max Llewellyn
12
Seb Atkinson
11
Ollie Thorley
10
George Barton
9
Caolan Englefield
1
Val Rapava-Ruskin
2
George McGuigan
3
Kirill Gotovtsev
4
Freddie Clarke
5
Cameron Jordan
6
Ruan Ackermann
7
Lewis Ludlow
8
Zach Mercer

Replacements

16
Seb Blake
17
Harry Elrington
18
Jamal Ford-Robinson
19
Arthur Clark
20
Jack Clement
21
Charlie Chapman
22
Louis Hillman-Cooper
23
Josh Hathaway

Preview | First silverware of the year on the line

Figure image

In the shadow of the Guinness Six Nations, Leicester Tigers and Gloucester will do battle once again at Kingsholm Stadium tomorrow (Friday) night and what a way to remind supporters of what’s to come at the back half of the league season.

Indeed, the Premiership Cup has served as an entrée to the league throughout this campaign but words from Dan McKellar in the lead up to the final ring true:

Out of all the games you’ll be involved in, very few are finals…

Simple, but profound. Yes, the Cup won’t be first in the minds of the casual rugby fan this weekend, but when the Wikipedia pages of these two historic clubs are updated and referenced after Friday, winning this trophy will mean a great deal.

It’s literal canon. Years come and go, but those where a trophy is won are different, not least for McKellar who would relish the chance to add his first piece of silverware at the helm of England’s most winningest outfit.

Gloucester will be equally desperate for a win and will have ‘Shed power’ at their backs on their home turf.

TEAM NEWS

Gloucester’s backrow catches the eye in their selection. Former Tiger Charlie Atkinson is cup-tied for the final.

Handré Pollard and Joe Heyes provide a big boost to a Tigers side but don’t discount the impact of wingers Josh Bassett and Ollie Hassell-Collins who were outstanding last time out.

Keep an eye out for Kyle Hatherell at number eight also.

IN THE MEDIA

STATS AND FACTS

Leicester Tigers have won their last two matches, both away from home, 20-19 against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop in Premiership Rugby on 26 January, and 29 -21 at Ealing in the semi-final of the Premiership Rugby on 18 February.

The Tigers only defeat in their last four finals in all competitions was 17 -18 to Montpellier at Twickenham in the EPCR Challenge Cup in May 2021.

Leicester have lost just one of their last seven Premiership Rugby Cup matches: 28-47 at Bedford in October.

Overall, the two clubs have met on 233 previous occasions with Leicester winning 116 to 109 by Gloucester and 8 games drawn. One hundred and thirteen of those clashes have been at Kingsholm, where the Tigers record is won 33, drawn 4, lost 76.

The clubs have met in two previous finals (both at Twickenham): Gloucester taking the 1978 John Player Cup 6-3, and Leicester winning the 2007 Premiership final 44-16.

DETAILS

Gloucester vs Leicester Tigers

Premiership Rugby Cup Final

7:45pm kick off. TNT Sports

Form Guide
Form
LWLWL
Last Match
Lost to Sale Sharks 27-31
Past Meeting
Won 27-25
Form
Last Match
Past Meeting
Form
WWWWL
Last Match
Lost to Bath Rugby 15-20
Past Meeting
Lost 25-27

Matchday Live

Gloucester Rugby23
Gloucester Rugby
Leicester Tigers13
Leicester Tigers
Full Time