Leicester Tigers Under-18s triumphed in the third-place play-off at National Academy League Finals Day at Allianz Park on Monday afternoon with a 41-12 victory over Bath Rugby.
Tries from Charlie Thacker and Owen Hills gave Tigers an early platform and then two scores from Paolo Odogwu in the moments leading up to half-time stretched the lead to 27 points at the interval.
Will Sutton, who also kicked four conversions and a penalty, provided the opening score after the break.
Zak Pool provided the sixth try as the lead reached 41 points before Bath claimed two of their own.
After both sides looked for territory in the opening period, it was Tigers who made the breakthrough with a try for new England Under-20 Thacker, breaking through on the Bath 10-metre line and beating the last two defenders to score to the right of the posts.
Thacker almost made it two in two minutes but the referee brought play back for a Tigers penalty and flanker Zak Poole also appealed for a try when he dived on loose ball over the Bath tryline, only to be denied as the officials awarded a lose-range scrum.
But Tigers had certainly found their rhythm, with the game being played entirely in the Bath half and breaks by scrum-half Ben White and wing Paolo Odowu keeping the Bath defence on its toes.
Prop Hills took control off possession at an attacking lineout to dot down the second score with just over quarter of the match played and Will Sutton added a confident conversion to stretch the lead to 12 points.
Sutton added a penalty a few moments later and further Bath indiscipline allowed Tigers to kick for territory into the left-hand corner, establishing the platform for Odogwu to score on the opposite wing and push the lead out to 20 points.
The wing added his second try just five minutes later, reading a Bath attack to perfection as he stepped in to intercept on halfway and run clear to score under the posts. Sutton added the extras as Tigers reached half-time 27 points in front.
A lineout on the left provided the opportunity for the opening score after the break as Will Owen was stopped just before the line but the ball was played quickly out to full-back Sutton to race over. He also added the extras.
Zak Poole added a sixth score, running in support of an attack on the left and breaking through two tacklers to dot down. Sutton added another calm kick from wide out on the left.
Bath finally got on the scoresheet with 56 minutes on the clock, hooker Dan Frost finishing from an attacking lineout, and added another 10 minutes later when Sam Rees finished well in the right-hand corner.
Tigers, though, did not concede again as they claimed victory in the third-place play-off.
Tries from Charlie Thacker and Owen Hills gave Tigers an early platform and then two scores from Paolo Odogwu in the moments leading up to half-time stretched the lead to 27 points at the interval.
Will Sutton, who also kicked four conversions and a penalty, provided the opening score after the break.
Zak Pool provided the sixth try as the lead reached 41 points before Bath claimed two of their own.
After both sides looked for territory in the opening period, it was Tigers who made the breakthrough with a try for new England Under-20 Thacker, breaking through on the Bath 10-metre line and beating the last two defenders to score to the right of the posts.
Thacker almost made it two in two minutes but the referee brought play back for a Tigers penalty and flanker Zak Poole also appealed for a try when he dived on loose ball over the Bath tryline, only to be denied as the officials awarded a lose-range scrum.
But Tigers had certainly found their rhythm, with the game being played entirely in the Bath half and breaks by scrum-half Ben White and wing Paolo Odowu keeping the Bath defence on its toes.
Prop Hills took control off possession at an attacking lineout to dot down the second score with just over quarter of the match played and Will Sutton added a confident conversion to stretch the lead to 12 points.
Sutton added a penalty a few moments later and further Bath indiscipline allowed Tigers to kick for territory into the left-hand corner, establishing the platform for Odogwu to score on the opposite wing and push the lead out to 20 points.
The wing added his second try just five minutes later, reading a Bath attack to perfection as he stepped in to intercept on halfway and run clear to score under the posts. Sutton added the extras as Tigers reached half-time 27 points in front.
A lineout on the left provided the opportunity for the opening score after the break as Will Owen was stopped just before the line but the ball was played quickly out to full-back Sutton to race over. He also added the extras.
Zak Poole added a sixth score, running in support of an attack on the left and breaking through two tacklers to dot down. Sutton added another calm kick from wide out on the left.
Bath finally got on the scoresheet with 56 minutes on the clock, hooker Dan Frost finishing from an attacking lineout, and added another 10 minutes later when Sam Rees finished well in the right-hand corner.
Tigers, though, did not concede again as they claimed victory in the third-place play-off.
