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Report | Tigers take bonus-point win in Investec Champions Cup opener

Figure image

Leicester Tigers have secured a bonus-point victory in their opening fixture of the Investec Champions Cup, outlasting an impressive, resilient DHL Stormers side.

Another starring performance from Tigers talisman Handré Pollard helped seal the victory, the Springboks flyhalf chipping in 20 of Tigers 35 points.

The teams exchanged early penalties, the Stomers fighting tooth and nail for every yard as Tigers settled into the game.

Leicester’s first attack in earnest would result in a try. Number eight Jasper Wiese charged a rushed clearing kick and Solomone Kata trapped the visitors in their own goal-line.

The duo combined brilliantly off the ensuing scrum and Kata was simply too powerful for the defence. Pollard converted, making it 10-3 inside 15 minutes.

The visitors couldn’t be kept down however, and continued to press their case, throwing their bodies on the line in defence.

Leicester couldn’t their flow in attack, and the Stormers were well worth their equalising try when it came in the 30th minute through Keke Morabe.

Stifled by the Stormers, Leicester looked like half-time couldn’t come quickly enough, but a loose ball was hacked through by the Stormers on the stroke of half-time, and Courtnall Skosan won the race to give the visitors the lead heading into the break, 17-10.

Leicester looked like a different team after the break, and began to hunt down the Stormers.

A penalty from Pollard after a minute was the momentum shift, then Kata grabbed his double five minutes later and Tigers had their lead.

Pollard converted, and would score next for Tigers to back it up, diving over for his first Investec Champions Cup try in Leicester colours.

Stormers never went away and continued to claw their way into the game. Pollard added another penalty to his try but the Stormers would kick a couple of their own, plus a drop goal.

With three minutes to play and the game balanced at 30-26, Stormers had a scrum five metres out.

Leicester repelled the visitors advances, hung tough and forced their way down the field and a slick pass from Jamie Shillcock saw Josh Bassett slide in for the bonus-point try after the 80 minute mark.

The final score from Mattioli Woods Welford Road, 35-26.

Match Details

HT ScoreHalf Time Score

LEI 10-17 STO

FT ScoreFull Time Score

LEI 35-26 STO

Attendance

19,439

Referee

Tual Trainini

Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
35

Full Time

Stormers
Stormers
26
Leicester Tigers
P
T
C
P
T
C
P
T
C
T
KOHTFT
Stormers
P
T
C
T
C
D
P
P

Match Stats

Leicester Tigers
Stormers
Possession
50%
50%
Territory
54%
46%
Penalties Conceded
10
10
Yellow Cards
0
1
Red Cards
0
0
Tackles Won
104/126 83%
106/116 91%
Scrums Won
6/7 86%
11/12 92%
Lineouts Won
12/12 100%
11/15 73%

Player Stats

Leicester Tigers
Stormers
Leicester Tigers
TCDP
15Freddie Steward
14Josh Bassett1T
13Matt Scott
12Solomone Kata2T
11Ollie Hassell-Collins
10Handre Pollard1T3C3P
9Ben Youngs
1Francois van Wyk
2Julian Montoya
3Dan Cole
4Cameron Henderson
5Ollie Chessum
6Hanro Liebenberg
7Tommy Reffell
8Jasper Wiese
16Archie Vanes
17James Cronin
18Joe Heyes
19Harry Wells
20Kyle Hatherell
21Tom Whiteley
22Jamie Shillcock
23Dan Kelly

Commentary

TIGERS BEGIN CUP CAMPAIGN WITH WIN

Leicester Tigers have secured a 35-26, bonus-point victory over DHL Stormers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

TRY | JOSH BASSETT

A dominant scrum followed by a well worked driving maul in the corner, on the back of the penalty, ends with a try in the opposite corner to Josh Bassett to secure a bonus-point.

PEN | DHL STORMERS

The visitors claw back three to make it a four-point deficit, 30-26, in the 70th minute.

CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Handré Pollard converts his own try to make it 30-23 and bring his tally to 20 points after 66 minutes at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

TRY | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Quick thinking from Ben Youngs spots space in behind the Stormers defensive line and Leicester re-gather before moving it to the left in attack for Handré Pollard to cross.

PEN | DHL STORMERS

Level again in Leicester, 23-23, after a successful penalty goal for the visitors.

PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Leicester take back the lead, 23-20, with Handré Pollard's fifth successful attempt from the tee. 

DROP GOAL | DHL STORMERS

It's level again, 20-20, after a drop goal from Jurie Matthee in the 51st minute.

CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Leicester lead by three, 20-17, after a successful conversion from Handré Pollard.

TRY | SOLOMONE KATA

Solomone Kata has a second and takes Tigers back in front, 18-17, just six minutes after the break.

PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Handré Pollard makes it a four-point game, 13-17, with another successful attempt from the tee.

TIGERS TRAIL AT THE BREAK

Leicester trail by seven, 10-17, at the break.

CON | DHL STORMERS

Jurie Matthee converts to make 10-17 at the break.

TRY | DHL STORMERS

In the final seconds of the first half, DHL Stormers get across for a try through Courtnall Skosan to take the lead. 

CON | DHL STORMERS

We are level again, 10-10, after a successful conversion attempt from the South African visitors to Mattioli Woods Welford Road after half an hour.

TRY | DHL STORMERS

The away side crash over from close range, to be within two, through back-rower Keke Morabe.

20

JUST ONE SCORE IN IT

Seven points, 10-3, remains the difference between the sides after 20 minutes at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Handré Pollard converts from in front to make it 10-3 after 15 minutes.

TRY | SOLOMONE KATA

Leicester take back the lead, 8-3, with a try to Solomone Kata from close range.

PEN | DHL STORMERS

Stormers fly-half Jurie Matthee levels it up, 3-3, after twelve minutes at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

PEN | HANDRÉ POLLARD

Leicester take an early lead, thanks to the accuracy of Handré Pollard from the tee, who lands his first attempt to make it 3-0 after five minutes.

UNDERWAY IN LEICESTER

This Round 1 Investec Champions Cup fixture gets going at Mattioli Woods Welford Road! 


Opposition Lineup

Starting XV

15
Clayton Blommetjies
14
Courtnall Skosan
13
Suleiman Hartzenberg
12
Jean-Luc du Plessis
11
Ben Loader
10
Jurie Matthee
9
Paul de Wet
1
Sti Sithole
2
Scarra Ntubeni
3
Brok Harris
4
Hendre Stassen
5
Connor Evans
6
Nama Xaba
7
Willie Engelbrecht
8
Keketso Morabe

Replacements

16
JJ Kotze
17
Kwenzo Blose
18
Lee-Marvin Mazibuko
19
Dylan Sjoblom
20
Junior Pokomela
21
Marcel Theunissen
22
Stefan Ungerer
23
Cornel Smit

Team | Kata starts as Tigers kick off Investec Champions Cup campaign

Figure image

Leicester Tigers have named their side for their Investec Champions Cup opener against the DHL Stormers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road at 3:15pm on Sunday.

Seven Tigers players will play their first game for the club in the historic competition, including replacement hooker and Academy product, Archie Vanes.

Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar has made three changes to the starting side that defeated Newcastle 47-3 last time out, with Josh Bassett, Solomone Kata and Cameron Henderson rotating into the run-on side.

Leicester Tigers head coach, Dan McKellar said: “Finishing that first block of league games the way we did was really pleasing.”

“The Investec Champions Cup is a competition, personally, I’ve been excited to be a part of since I joined the club. These are the games players and coaches want to be part of and we know there’ll be a big atmosphere at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Sunday.”

STARTING XV

15 Freddie Steward [75]

14 Josh Bassett [9]

13 Matt Scott [69]

12 Solomone Kata [5]

11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [10]

10 Handré Pollard [19]

9 Ben Youngs [306]

1 Francois Van Wyk [40]

2 Julián Montoya (c) [46]

3 Dan Cole [314]

4 Ollie Chessum [47]

5 Cameron Henderson [46]

6 Hanro Liebenberg [95]

7 Tommy Reffell [105]

8 Jasper Wiese [65]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Archie Vanes [10]

17 James Cronin [21]

18 Joe Heyes [130]

19 Harry Wells [183]

20 Kyle Hatherell [6]

21 Tom Whiteley [15]

22 Jamie Shillcock [11]

23 Dan Kelly [66]

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Stormers
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Leicester Tigers
Leicester TigersLEI420284122-381016109
Form Guide
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