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Tigers ABC to Z: P is for penalty shoot-out

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The Tigers ABC to Z series reaches the letter P and features two of the most dramatic games in the club's long history.P is for penalty shoot-out The epic 2008/09 Heineken Cup semi-final between Leicester Tigers and Cardiff Blues produced a thrilling 26-26 draw, but it is the historic penalty shoot-out that decided the outcome for which the game will be forever remembered.   Tigers held a 14-point lead with 20 minutes remaining and looked set for the final in Edinburgh after tries for Scott Hamilton and Geordan Murphy. But the Blues took advantage of yellow cards for Craig Newby and Murphy to score two late tries that sent the game into extra-time.   There was no further score in the added period which meant a penalty shoot-out would decide the outcome, a situation unprecedented in European rugby history.   Leicester and Cardiff traded successful kicks until winger Johne Murphy missed the Tigers fourth kick and then Tom James was off target for the Blues.   Sudden death followed, and after Aaron Mauger and Craig Newby landed their kicks for the Tigers, Martyn Williams was wide with his penalty. It was left to Jordan Crane, who celebrated with a famous celebration aimed at his young niece watching on television at home, to seal Leicester’s place in a fifth Heineken Cup Final.   Click here to watch the penalty shoot-out again.   P is for Parc des Princes Tigers’ second appearance in the Heineken Cup Final brought with it their first triumph in European club rugby’s elite competition.   And they did it the hard way by beating Paris-based Stade Francais 34-30 in their own backyard at the Parc des Princes.   Tigers outscored their opponents by three tries to nil, but left it late, very late, to secure victory.   Italy international fly-half Diego Dominguez kicked all 30 points for Stade from nine penalties and a drop goal. Indeed, his drop goal came three minutes from time and looked destined to secure the title for Stade.   Instead, in the dying moments, Leon Lloyd, who had scored a try earlier in the second half, finished off Austin Healey’s break to score at the right corner and Tim Stimpson’s conversion sealed a famous victory.   Click here to watch the final again.   P is for Prima Tiger Cup The Prima Tiger Cup, Leicester Tigers’ free contact-based U10s tournament, enters its 22nd season in 2015/16 and is even older than rugby’s European Cup.   The tournament, which is supported by Loughborough-based Prima Solutions, takes place over five festivals across the Tigers region and gives thousands of young players the opportunity to represent their club at Welford Road.   Sam Harrison and Harry Thacker are among the Tigers first-team squad members who have played in the Prima Tiger Cup.   More than 70 teams entered last season, making the Prima Tiger Cup the largest single age group competition in the rugby calendar.   This season’s festival will take place at Tamworth RFC (October 18), Swaffham RFC (October 25), Lutterworth RFC (November 1), Mellish RFC (November 8) and Newmarket RFC (November 15).   Click here for more information.   P is for penalties Unsurprisingly, Dusty Hare holds the Leicester Tigers record for the most penalties with 820, followed by John Liley (449), Tim Stimpson (372) and Andy Goode (335). Liley, Stimpson and Goode hold the record for most penalties in a game with eight against Bristol (1995), Gloucester (2000) and Sale (2006) respectivelty.   Incidentally, Diego Dominguez’s nine penalties for Stade Francais in the 2001 Heineken Cup Final is a record against Tigers. He holds it jointly with Thierry Lacroix (at Perpignan in 2001), Stephen Jones (at Llanelli in 2002) and Mark van Gisbergen (at Wasps in 2004).