Leicester Tigers took two bonus points from a 33-31 defeat against Wasps in Round 4 of the Premiership Shield on Monday evening.
Hosted at Leicester Lions’ Westleigh Park home, the Development XV claimed tries from Jake Kerr, Joe Heyes, Jack van Poortvliet and Kyran Bungaroo but two late scores from Wasps sealed victory for the visitors.
It was Wasps who opened the scoring with just a handful of minutes of played when wing Tom Bacon capitalised on loose ball in the Tigers backline to break through for a try converted by Billy Searle.
But Tigers responded with a score for Kerr as the forwards first took play 25 metres upfield with a driving maul and then finished from a lineout drive after Wasps lock Theo Vukasinovic had been yellow-carded in trying to stop the initial surge. Johnny McPhillips kicked the first of his four conversions to level the scores.
Wasps led again on 15 minutes when hooker Gabriel Oghre dotted down from a lineout drive and, after a kick in behind the visitors’ defence had just evaded Freddie Steward’s reach, Tigers tied the scores at 14-14 when McPhillips converted a score from Heyes under the posts following some composed work from the forward pack.
Tigers went in front for the first time just four minutes later when scrum-half Van Poortvliet got the decisive touch to a chip from Bungaroo on the right and the conversion made it 21-14.
Some strong defence through a series of Wasps phases kept that lead intact to the break but replacement prop Biyo Alo forced his way over the Tigers line for the opening points after the restart and Searle’s conversion tied the scores once again.
Just two minutes later, though, Bungaroo grabbed the bonus-point score for Tigers, intercepting a Wasps pass on his own five-metre line and running the length of the field to go in at the right-hand corner. McPhillips added an immaculate kick from the touchline for a seven-point lead again and soon added a penalty to make that gap into double digits.
But penalties started adding up against Tigers in the closing stages, allowing Wasps to build pressure near the tryline which was rewarded with close-range scores from front-rowers Zac Nearchou and Oghre to finally take the spoils.
Commentary
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TIGERSFAMILY
Thank you to all the supporters who have joined us for tonight's Premiership Rugby Shield game at Leicester Lions, we hope to see you all at Welford Road in the New Year for our game against Bristol this Saturday, (Jan 4) 3pm kick-off.
FULL-TIME
And that's all folks, the referee blows the whistle here at Leicester Lions and a late Wasps try means Wasps take the win at 31-33.
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CONVERSION MISSED
Searle is unsuccessful with the conversion so the game remains a two-point score at 31-33 after what we believe is around 75 minutes.
ANOTHER FOR WASPS
Wasps with more posession in Tigers 22 and the driving maul is pushed over the tryline, looks like the try-scorer is replacement scrum-half Sam Wostenholme.
WASPS ADD THE CONVERSION
Searle again from the tee makes it a three point gap at 31-28 after 69 minutes.
FOURTH TRY FOR WASPS
Wasps get their fourth and bonus point try through the other replacement prop Zac Nearchou after phases and he pushes over for the try.
TIGERS GO FOR POINTS
Tigers win a penalty as Wasps are penalised for collapsing the scrum and point to the posts.
McPhillips lines up the kick and it's straight between the posts to make it 31-21 after 60 minutes.
ANTOHER FROM THE TEE
McPhillips with another kick from the touchline makes it a seven point score and a 28-21 lead after 53 minutes.
INTERCEPT TRY!
Wasps on the attack 5 metres out from Tigers tryline before Kyran Bungaroo reads the play and intercepts the ball, running all the way up the field to score Tigers fourth and bonus point try in the far corner.
AND THE CONVERSION
Billy Searle also adds his third conversion to make it all square again at 21-21 after 48 minutes.
FIRST POINTS OF THE HALF FOR WASPS
Wasps again score first and it's another push over try as Wasps build phases in the 22 before the replacement prop Biyi Alo gathers the ball at the base of the ruck a metre out and pushes over for the try.
ACTION BACK UNDERWAY
Here we go for the second-half at Leicester Lions RFC as Tigers lead Wasps in the Premiership Rugby Shield.
HALF-TIME
The referee blows the whistle for half-time and Tigers lead 21-14.
THREE FROM THREE
McPhillips slips as he take the conversion but the the kick is good and he adds to Tigers lead to make it 21-14 after 32 minutes.
THIRD TRY FOR TIGERS
Against the run of play Tigers turnover the ball in space, Kyran Bungaroo gets the ball on the wing and after running the ball into Wasps half chips the ball ahead for Jack van Poortvliet to recover and score in the corner.
CONVERSION MAKES IT EVEN
McPhillips again adds the conversion to make the score 14-14 after 28 minutes.
TRY FOR TIGERS
Joe Heyes is the man to score after good posession Tigers have the phases in the Wasps 22 and Heyes runs over under the posts for the try.
SEVEN POINT LEAD
Billy Searle makes it two from two off the tee and makes it a seven point lead for Wasps at 7-14 after 15 minutes.
SECOND FOR WASPS
Wasps win a penalty at the breakdown and kick in to the Tigers corner and in a repeat of Tigers try Wasps create the driving maul and push over the tryline. We think the try was scored by the hooker Gabriel Oghre.
CAPTAIN MAKES IT SEVEN
Tonight's captain Johnny McPhillips adds the conversion to make the score even at 7-7 after 10 minutes.
TRY FOR TIGERS
Tigers kick to the corner from the penalty and create the driving maul. The maul is pushed over the tryline for a try and we think it is Jake Kerr who has the ball.
YELLOW CARD
Tigers are on the attack and the driving maul is pulled down, the referee shows Wasps Theo Vukasinovic a yellow card.
AND THE EXTRAS
Billy Searle adds the conversion for Wasps to make it 0-7 after 3 minutes.
FIRST POINTS TO WASPS
It's early points on the board for Wasps who get the first try of the match and it is winger Tom Bacon who makes the score.
KICK OFF
We have kick-off as Tigers host Wasps in the Premiership Rugby Shield at local club Leicester Lions.