When scrum-half Ben Youngs ran in to score a try on his 250th club appearance in the win over Northampton Saints, he followed in some notable footsteps.
On his special day, Youngs led the team out at Welford Road and had to wait just a further six minutes to mark the occasion with his 37th try for the club.
According to club historian Stuart Farmer, he joined a select band of players to score on their 250th Tigers appearance, the last two being his former team-mates Martin Corry and Geordan Murphy.
Corry, Tigers captain in the 2006/07 season when Ben made his league debut, reached that mark in a 39-0 victory over Edinburgh during November 2007 as one of the 29 tries he scored in 290 appearances.
Just 18 months later, it was Murphy’s turn, scoring in a win over Bristol at he home of neighbours Leicester City and temporarily of Tigers as the new north stand took shape back at Welford Road.
Murphy would go on to become the 35th player to reach 300 appearances for Tigers before retirement in 2013 as an eight-time Premiership champion and double European Cup winner. The score on his 250th appearance was among 93 in 322 games for the club.
The list of other Tigers to score on their 250th appearance includes local favourites Graham Willars, Garry Adey, John Duggan and Barry Evans.
But the first Sam Matthews who made his debut in 1898 and made 340 appearances over the next decade.
Next came Ralph Buckingham, who won a cap for England in 1927 and scored 117 tries in his Tigers career.
After a wait of more than 40 years, back-rower Graham Willars joined the list followed by team-mate Garry Adey, who remains in the top 10 of all-time appearances for the club.
And before the most recent trio, it was the turn of prolific wings Barry Evans and John Duggan who totalled more than 320 tries for the club.
Now Youngs has joined them. He made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2007 and the 99-cap England scrum-half’s score against Saints proved vital in a game won by just four points.
This is an extract from an article first published in the Tigers matchday programme for the home game against Harlequins. Click here for the full version.
