Leicester Tigers Academy co-captains Sam Edwards and Archie Vanes say the young squad thrived under the pressure of their top-of-the-table clash last weekend.

Head coach Matt Smith’s side extended their unbeaten record with victory over Worcester Warriors in Round 5 of the Under-18 League on Saturday, though they had to weather a second-half fightback on home ground at Welford Road.

“I thought it was a good win,” hooker Vanes told LTTV. “A good team performance, good D sets, and I thought we just bought into it as a team.

“We rose to the occasion, just kept the nerves and went at it, really.

“We knew what we were going to do going into the game, so we just executed it.”

Brooksby Melton College schoolmate Edwards gave an insight into how the pair went about sharing captain’s duties during the match.

“Me and Archie work quite well together, so it was quite nice to get the role with him,” he said.

“I thought we led quite well on the pitch. He was more the defensive stuff and I was more attack, but I thought we buzzed off each other well and it was good to run out with the boys with Archie.”

And, after a blistering first half that included scores for Charlie Titcombe and two of Jake Sterland’s three tries on the day, scrum-half Edwards explained how the young cubs looked to maintain their strong showing after the break.

He continued: “We touched on it at half-time, just not giving up. We knew [Worcester] were going to come at us in the second half because they’re a physical side and, to be fair to them, they actually did.

“We said at half-time not to give in, be a Tiger; be tough, physical and smart, which are our themes, so we’re quite pleased with that.”