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Report | Tigers hold on for tough win

Figure image

Leicester Tigers tackled their way to a three-point, 22-25, win over London Irish in Round 18 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.

In a match that saw the lead change hands five times, Leicester scored three tries on their way to victory - a second successive for Tigers in the league after last weekend's win over Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Tigers trailed at half-time, an opening forty minutes that included two denied scores for the visitors and a spell with 14 men after a Harry Potter yellow card, but fought their way back to the front on the scoreboard and held on in the dying stages to overcome an Irish fightback.

The visitors finished the game with just over 40% of possession and having made almost 200 tackles, 60 more than The Exiles in a bruising, entertaining encounter in West London.

More to follow...

Match Details

HT ScoreHalf Time Score

LON 17-14 LEI

FT ScoreFull Time Score

LON 22-25 LEI

Attendance

Not available

Referee

Jack Makepeace

London Irish
London Irish
22

Full Time

Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
25
London Irish
T
C
T
C
P
T
KOHTFT
Leicester Tigers
T
C
T
C
T
P
P

Match Stats

London Irish
Leicester Tigers
Possession
58%
42%
Territory
53%
47%
Penalties Conceded
11
11
Yellow Cards
0
1
Red Cards
0
0
Tackles Won
132/139 95%
151/177 85%
Scrums Won
5/6 83%
6/6 100%
Lineouts Won
14/16 88%
6/7 86%

Player Stats

London Irish
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
TCDP
15Mike Brown
14Chris Ashton
13Matt Scott
12Jimmy Gopperth
11Harry Potter1T
10Handre Pollard2C2P
9Ben Youngs
1Tom West
2Julian Montoya
3Joe Heyes
4George Martin
5Cameron Henderson
6Hanro Liebenberg
7Olly Cracknell1T
8Jasper Wiese1T
16Charlie Clare
17Francois van Wyk
18Will Hurd
19Harry Wells
20Emeka Ilione
21Tom Whiteley
22Charlie Atkinson
23Harry Simmons

Commentary

TIGERS WIN ON THE ROAD

Leicester Tigers hold on to claim a three-point, 22-25, win over London Irish in Brentford.

75

FIVE ON THE CLOCK

Just five minutes left in London and only three points the difference.

74

MISSED ATTEMPT

Handré Pollard misses a chance to add three to the Tigers tally from near halfway with just six minutes left on the clock. 

PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Leicester take back the lead, with eight minutes remaining, after a long-range penalty-goal from Handré Pollard.

69

LEICESTER'S DEFENCE HOLDS ON

The Tigers, under pressure on their own line, again hold on and win back possession with a penalty at the breakdown.

PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD

We are level again at 22-22 with 13 minutes remaining after a penalty-goal for Handré Pollard.

65

TIGERS MARCH ON

The away side stringing together phases in attack, patiently, deep inside the Irish half with an advantage being played against the hosts.

TRY | LONDON IRISH

The hosts take back the lead after Chandler Cunningham-South breaks from the back of a scrum, 5m out from Leicester's line, and slides over to score.

60

TWENTY TO GO

An hour played in Brentford and just two points separates the sides with the final quarter to come.

TRY | HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter scores down the left on the end of some slick, quick hands after the Leicester pack set up the chance with some physical, patient work at the set piece after successive infringements from the home side.

53

CHARGE DOWN(S)

Back-to-back charge downs on clearing kicks from Irish bookend big defence from Leicester, deep inside the Irish half, and an error is made by the home side 5m out from their line. Tigers to feed a scrum. 

50

TIGERS STAY TIGHT

A huge defensive effort from Leicester is rewarded after holding out London Irish on their own line.

45

IRISH TESTING TIGERS

The visitors being put under pressure, on their try-line, by London Irish in the opening five minutes of the second-half.

SECOND HALF GETS GOING

Paddy Jackson gets the game going again, kicking off deep in to the Tigers half.

IRISH AHEAD AT THE BREAK

London Irish lead by three points, 17-14, after the first half in Brentford.

39

SECOND TRY DENIED

Olly Cracknell crashes over from close range but the TMO rules it as a double-movement, denying the score and a second for the back-rower against his former side.

38

NO TRY FOR TIGERS

The replays find a knock-on from Leicester in the build-up, which denies the try, but the scrum feed will go to Tigers on halfway after a first knock-on from Irish.

37

HEADING TO THE TRUCK

The TMO is called upon after a ball bobbles up down the right hand side and Mike Brown runs away to dive over.

35

SCRAMBLING AT THE BACK

Again, Leicester are put under pressure on their try-line but hold on with a scramble at the back from the Tigers winning back possession before Ben Youngs clears.

33

TIGERS HOLD ON

A man down, on their own line, Leicester's defence forces an error from London Irish and holds on to prevent a try.

30

HALF AN HOUR DOWN

After 30 minutes in Brentford, just three points separates the sides despite London Irish having more than 60% of possession in the first half hour.

PEN | LONDON IRISH

The home side take back the lead, 25 minutes in to tonight's match, with a Paddy Jackson penalty-goal from in front of the posts.

YELLOW CARD | HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter knocks on in defence, which is deemed intentional, and ends an Irish attack in the process. The Tigers are now down a man for the next 10 minutes after he is shown a yellow card.

CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Handré Pollard converts to level the scores up again, 14-14, after 21 minutes.

TRY | JASPER WIESE

Tigers have a second, through Jasper Wiese, who crashes over from close range just one phase after a strong run from the quick tap 5m out from Julián Montoya.

19

IRISH INFRINGEMENTS

The home side are penalised for back-to-back infringements at the breakdown, on their own line, and it hands Leicester a chance for points - but they opt for the quick tap, 5m out.

18

STRONG SET PIECE START

The Tigers pack showing positive signs early on tonight with scrum dominance in the opening quarter in Brentford.

15

ALL IRISH EARLY ON

The home side dominating possession after 15 minutes in London with more than 70% of the ball and just shy of 70% territory.

CON | LONDON IRISH

Paddy Jackson sends his second attempt through the uprights and extends the London Irish lead to 14-7 after 10 minutes.

TRY | LONDON IRISH

The home side have a second, in the ninth minute, after a midfield break from Irish is finished by scrum-half Joe Powell.

CON | LONDON IRISH

Paddy Jackson converts and the scores are level, 7-7, after six minutes in London.

TRY | LONDON IRISH

The home side hit back almost immediately with their first try of the night, to Tom Pearson, to make it one score a piece after only five minutes.

CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Handré Pollard converts with his first attempt seeing Tigers out to a seven-point lead in the third minute.

TRY | OLLY CRACKNELL

A patient set of phases on the Irish try-line brings reward as Olly Cracknell crashes over from close range for the first try of the night in just the second minute.

KICK OFF IN BRENTFORD

Handré Pollard gets the game going in Brentford and an early mistake from the home side hands Leicester Tigers a scrum feed on the Irish 22m line.

-5

NEARLY TIME TO GO

Both sides are back in the changing rooms after completing their preparations and kick-off is just minutes away in London.

-30

WELCOME BACK TO MATCHDAY LIVE

We're all set for Saturday night out in London as we take on Irish in Round 18 of this season's Gallagher Premiership! 


Opposition Lineup

Starting XV

15
James Stokes
14
Lucio Cinti
13
Benhard Janse van Rensburg
12
Rory Jennings
11
Ben Loader
10
Paddy Jackson
9
Joe Powell
1
Facundo Gigena
2
Mike Willemse
3
Lovejoy Chawatama
4
Api Ratuniyarawa
5
Rob Simmons
6
Juan Martin Gonzalez
7
Tom Pearson
8
Matt Rogerson

Replacements

16
Agustin Creevy
17
Tarek Haffar
18
Oli Hoskins
19
Chunya Munga
20
Josh Caulfield
21
Chandler Cunningham-South
22
Hugh O'Sullivan
23
Will Joseph

Team News | Tigers side to play Irish

Figure image

Richard Wigglesworth has named the Leicester Tigers matchday squad to play London Irish in Round 18 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership.

Julián Montoya will captain the side at at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday night.

The starting side is unchanged from last weekend’s win over Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, while the bench includes three changes.

Harry Wells, Emeka Ilione and Tom Whiteley come into the matchday squad in place of Eli Snyman, Tommy Reffell and Sam Edwards.

Reffell will feature for Wales in their Guinness Six Nations game against England on Saturday afternoon in Cardiff.

Saturday evening’s game will be the first away from home in Leicester Tigers colours for mid-season signings Mike Brown, Tom West and Tom Whiteley.

STARTING XV
15 Mike Brown [1]
14 Chris Ashton [24]
13 Matt Scott [59]
12 Jimmy Gopperth [10]
11 Harry Potter [58]
10 Handré Pollard [6]
9 Ben Youngs [295]
1 Tom West [2]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [35]
3 Joe Heyes [115]
4 George Martin [50]
5 Cameron Henderson [28]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [76]
7 Olly Cracknell [16]
8 Jasper Wiese [52]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [70]
17 Francois van Wyk [27]
18 Will Hurd [20]
19 Harry Wells [172]
20 Emeka Ilione [8]
21 Tom Whiteley [1]
22 Charlie Atkinson [11]
23 Harry Simmons [30]

posteamteam namepldwdlfadifftftatblbpts
3
Leicester Tigers
Leicester TigersLEI2011185604907073669459
5
London Irish
London IrishLON20100105434855869658755
Form Guide
Form
WLWLW
Last Match
Beat Exeter Chiefs 17-14
Past Meeting
Lost 22-25
Form
Last Match
Past Meeting
Form
LWWLL
Last Match
Lost to Gloucester Rugby 25-27
Past Meeting
Won 25-22

Matchday Live

London Irish22
London Irish
Leicester Tigers25
Leicester Tigers
Full Time