Watch the Match Highlights from the Premiership Rugby Cup fixture between Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Tigers kicked off the Cup campaign with a 32-23 win over the Sharks on Saturday.
An early try from Jack van Poortvliet and three penalties from Bryce Hegarty in his first start for the club at fly-half gave Tigers a 16-3 lead but they had to withstand a fightback from the visitors before Guy Porter’s late score put the outcome beyond doubt.
Cup holders Sale – they lifted the trophy in 2019/20 and the tournament was shelved last season as a result of the pandemic – scored three tries of their own, clawing the gap back to just two points at 25-23 during the third quarter, but some stern defence and a late push forward with a couple of penalties on the left gave Tigers a chance to seal an ninth successive win at the start of the season in all competitions.
The Tigers squad, led by assistant coach Brett Deacon in this tournament, included loanees Josh Poulett and Scott Hall among seven players making a debut appearance. Scrum-half van Poortvliet was named as captain, with Cyle Brink and Kini Murimurivalu among his more experienced colleagues.
Akker van der Merwe led a Sharks team which included regular first-teamers Simon McIntyre, JP du Preez, Jean-Luc du Preez, Luke James and Denny Solomona.
