Leicester Tigers will not be represented in the Singha Premiership Rugby Sevens Finals after bowing out at the pool stage Newcastle's Kingston Park on Saturday.
Tigers won their opening game against Worcester Warriors but defeats to Sale Sharks and hosts Newcastle Falcons in a winner-takes-all final game meant they were unable to progress.
The Tigers squad was made up entirely of teenagers and was the second youngest in the history of the competition.
But they overcame yellow cards for Fred Tuilagi and Jordan Olowofela and a 14-0 deficit to beat Worcester Warriors in their opening game. Olowofela and Tuilagi returned to the fray to score, and Harry Mahoney also dotted down to give Tigers a 19-14 half-time lead.
Tigers extended their lead after the break through Andy Brown’s try but had to withstand a Warriors fightback to claim a 26-24 win.
Tigers were straight back out for game number two and, despite taking an early lead through Charlton Kerr, back-to-back games took their toll and they went down to a heavy 55-7 defeat to Sale.
Sale, then booked their place in the finals with victory over Worcester leaving Tigers and Newcastle to fight for the last place.
And despite tries for Kerr, Tom Hardwick and Sam Yawayawa, it was the hosts, who had beaten Sale but lost to Worcester earlier in the afternoon, who booked their place in next weekend's finals day in Coventry with a 26-17 win.
Leicester Tigers squad
1 Sam Lewis
2 Harry Mahoney
3 Charlton Kerr
4 Harry Simmons
5 Ben White
6 Sam Yawayawa
7 Jordan Olowofela
8 Freddie Tuilagi
9 Tommy Reffell
10 Tom Hardwick
11 Ollie Russell
12 Andy Brown
Tigers won their opening game against Worcester Warriors but defeats to Sale Sharks and hosts Newcastle Falcons in a winner-takes-all final game meant they were unable to progress.
The Tigers squad was made up entirely of teenagers and was the second youngest in the history of the competition.
But they overcame yellow cards for Fred Tuilagi and Jordan Olowofela and a 14-0 deficit to beat Worcester Warriors in their opening game. Olowofela and Tuilagi returned to the fray to score, and Harry Mahoney also dotted down to give Tigers a 19-14 half-time lead.
Tigers extended their lead after the break through Andy Brown’s try but had to withstand a Warriors fightback to claim a 26-24 win.
Tigers were straight back out for game number two and, despite taking an early lead through Charlton Kerr, back-to-back games took their toll and they went down to a heavy 55-7 defeat to Sale.
Sale, then booked their place in the finals with victory over Worcester leaving Tigers and Newcastle to fight for the last place.
And despite tries for Kerr, Tom Hardwick and Sam Yawayawa, it was the hosts, who had beaten Sale but lost to Worcester earlier in the afternoon, who booked their place in next weekend's finals day in Coventry with a 26-17 win.
Leicester Tigers squad
1 Sam Lewis
2 Harry Mahoney
3 Charlton Kerr
4 Harry Simmons
5 Ben White
6 Sam Yawayawa
7 Jordan Olowofela
8 Freddie Tuilagi
9 Tommy Reffell
10 Tom Hardwick
11 Ollie Russell
12 Andy Brown
