Leicester Tigers have started season 2024/25 off with a win at home in the club’s first pre-season fixture, against Nottingham Rugby.
Four tries in the first half helped seal the victory which saw both Tigers and Notts empty their extended benches.
It was Tigers new recruit Will Wand who had the first significant touch of the game, the centre throwing a beautiful pass to send wing Josh Bassett over for the first try.
Fly-half Jamie Shillcock was receiving treatment, but scrum-half Tom Whiteley packed his kicking boots and made no mistake with the conversion.
Notts were next to cross, but it wouldn’t be long before Tigers would extend their advantage with Charlie Clare scoring off the back of a rolling maul.
Ben Volavola, now on for his first appearance for the club, converted the extras.
Volavola couldn’t find the range with his next attempt after Olly Cracknell burrowed his way over the line, but redeemed himself with his final attempt of the half following Sam Williams’ try.
Notts grabbed one back to make it 26-10 at the break.
It would take 28 minutes for the first score of the second-half but when it did, it was a beauty, as Ollie Hassell-Collins raced away off a brilliant piece of attack off the turnover.
Volavola converted well from out-wide, 33-10.
Tigers final score came from academy centre Charlie Myall, who found space on the blindside to dive over from close range.
The visitors would have the final word with a driving score on the stroke of full time to end a well-fought encounter at a score of 38-17.
With 31 Leicester players seeing invaluable pitch time, Michael Cheika's first match as Head Coach gave the Tigers family plenty to smile about ahead of the new season.
Commentary
FULL TIME AT HOME
Leicester Tigers are victorious, 38-17, in their first run-out under Head Coach Michael Cheika.
31 players saw time on the pitch as the hosts bagged six tries to kick off 24/25 in the best possible manner. We go again in eight days time when we welcome the Scarlets.
80
CONVERSION | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The kick fizzes over and the final whistle is blown.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors come away with their reward for exceptional endeavour, fighting right till the end and eventually driving over through replacement hooker Jack Dickinson.
Tigers had repelled for almost ten minutes, a driving Ilione hit a real highlight but eventually the pressure told.
77
CONVERSION MISSED | TOM THRELFALL
A tough kick from the touchline fades wide from the substitute fly-half.
TRY | CHARLIE MYALL
..and the hosts get their reward.
Initially winning the ball back the side look to work the phases through big forward carries into the centre of the park.
Spotting space back on the blindside, however, academy centre Charlie Myall recieves the ball on the right touchline and dives over.
72
TIGERS WELL INTO THEIR GROOVE
The loudest 'oomph' of the season thus far comes when Kata bursts through trailing arms to run clear through from half way.
A valiant Nottingham fulback gets across to cover but it's to no avail as the centre absolutely railroads him with a brutal bosh that leaves him trailing, his efforts rewarded by slowing down the Tongan enough that his teammates can make it back to bring him down.
Tigers arent able to capitalise initially but, after the visitors clear their lines, Woodward does superbly to hold onto a ranging pass and then put through a dangerous grubber, keeping the pressure on.
CONVERSION | BEN VOLAVOLA
The last act for the Fijian sees him smash the conversion before exiting the stage to applause from the Tigers faithful.
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
But with the significant firepower at their disposal, Tigers can always find a way to strike.
Here slick hands see the slimmest of overlaps exploited with precision, wing Hassell-Collins exploding into space and just having far too much gas in the tank to be caught, diving over on the left hand side.
65
PHYSICAL SECOND HALF
The second half has seen watertight defence from both teams,
Tigers have crashed up several times, the centre combination a terrifying prospect for any opposition midfield, as Kata and Perese line up together for the first time, both causing problems.
Nottingham to their credit have repelled very well and made their way right up to the Tigers line. A shrewd line out sees a short throw but Tigers defend well at the front, then holding the ball up over the line to grant them the chance to clear.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
Nicky Smith enters for his first appearance in a Tigers jersey, the prop joined by Finn Theobold-Thomas and Charlie Myall
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Solomone Kata replaces Mike Brown, who recieves a warm applause from the watching supporters.
It's unlikely the big Tongan is heading to fullback so instead Joe Woodward exits the centres to head to the backfield.
45
JVP looking sharp
Van Poortvliet has been a menace since entering the field, moving the ball around at a rapid pace, short passes, ranging passes, picks and goes popped on he's playing all the hits.
He works Tigers into Nottingham's half before a well-placed box kick bounces into touch just a couple of metres out to give the visitors a real pressure line out.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
A raft of half-time substitutions see the aforementioned Perese joined by Ollie Hassell-Collins, Jack van Poortvliet, Tim Hoyt, Hanro Liebenberg on the field.
Emeka Ilione and Côme Joussain also re-enter the match.
41
THE SECOND HALF IS UNDERWAY
Visiting fly-half Matt Arden kicks us off and the second period begins.
Tigers collect the ball and reset but look to play it out from the back, Volavola finding newbie Izaia Perese who instantly makes a half-break, attacking the line with vigour.
HALF TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
The whistle goes on a six-try half that sees Tigers enjoy a strong lead.
Nottingham have played some mercurial rugby at times but the hosts have replied in kind and then some, marrying slick handling with exceptional aggression in the carry.
40
CONVERSION MISSED | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
Nottingham miss the conversion and the referee blows for half time.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
A second try for the visitors brings a breathless first half to an end.
It's really sharp hands again from Nottingham who work their way to the Tigers line before exploiting a well-worked overlap with a sizzling miss-pass, wing David Williams once again diving over in the corner.
CONVERSION | BEN VOLAVOLA
Volavola nails the conversion and extends a sizeable lead.
TRY | SAM WILLIAMS
Relentless pressure from Tigers.
Leicester are running with intent and just keep finding their way through, whether that be guile or brute force.
It's the latter that gets them five metres from the Nottingham line but the former that gets them over, young flanker Sam Williams hitting a shrewd line to fly through off a reverse pop pass.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Joseph Woodward is on in place of Dan Kelly.
CONVERSION MISSED | BEN VOLAVOLA
The Fijian's kick goes awry on this occassion.
TRY | OLLY CRACKNELL
Two in two minutes for the hosts as front up rugby drives them over.
The Nottingham defence is unable to repel the Tigers forwards powering all the way to the line with successive carries and it's Cracknell who has enough to drive over from short range.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
Archie Vanes and James Whitcombe enter the field in place of try-scorer Clare and Archie van der Flier.
CONVERSION | BEN VOLAVOLA
Volavola confidently adds the extras from the left-hand side.
TRY | LEICESTER TIGERS
No sooner had Nottingham got on the board than Leicester roar back up the other end to seize back their lead.
The Mattioli Woods Welford Road crowd warmly welcomes it's first maul try of the 2024/25 season, hooker Charlie Clare touching down at the back.
26
CONVERSION MISSED | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors can't add the extras from out wide and Tigers retain their lead.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
Wing David Williams caps off a very well-worked try for the visitors.
Tigers are steaming up in defence but Nottingham keep the ball alive continually, a perpetual motion of offloads and whipped passes finding gaps in the rush.
Eventually an intelligent inside pass on the Tigers 22 sees wing Williams steam onto it at pace with only fresh air ahead of him, eventually diving over in the right hand corner.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
Sam Williams and Tom Manz make their way onto the field for Côme Joussain and Emeka Ilione.
17
Big Turnover won
Toughness and hard work are core values at Leicester Tigers and that was demonstrated in spades there
Volvola, Whiteley and Ilione all chopped well on the Nottingham side, the speed of the defensive line pushing back the visitors almost to the 22 before the home side win a turnover to huge cheers.
15
Nottingham work their way back into it
The visitors exit well from a precarious position and the early battle for midfield resumes.
Volavola looks super sharp thus far, deftly flinging the ball around and finding Bassett in space who again explores the touchline with a grubber.
Nottingham field the kick well and work the phases, No. 8 James Cherry making strong metres, eventually building to Tigers five metre line.
Strong defence imperative from this range.
10
TIGERS PROBING FOR MORE
From a goalline drop out (after a clearance had gone a shade too far), Olly Cracknell gets a massive run up and fires into contact with purpose.
From that base, with Nottingham still getting set, Volavola gets his first chance to work some magic, a nice out the back pass allowing Kelly, then Brown the chance to release Bassett who's skillful grubber through just edges into touch right at the line.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
The aforementioned knock forces Shillcock on and we see an early debut for Fijian fly-half Ben Volavola, who gets a warm welcome from the Tigers Family.
CONVERSION | TOM WHITELEY
With normal kicker Jamie Shillcock forced off with an early knock, Whiteley knocks over the extras from the left hand side.
A strong kick from the scrum half.
TRY | JOSH BASSETT
..and they get the opening score!
Tigers return the favour in the physicality stakes, with the forwards crashing through tackles and bounding over the gainline to make it right to the Nottingham line.
The visitors repel well intiially and make a mess of the ruck, the ball squirting out. A canny Tom Whitely makes the most of it however, flicking the ball out with his foot into the hands of debutant Will Wand who executes a wide two-on-one to put Bassett over in the corner.
3
EARLY PHYSICALITY FROM THE VISITORS
Nottingham start strongly, carrying well in midfield, almost bursting through but for an astute tackle by Dan Kelly.
An attempt to go wide breaks down and a strong scrum gives Tigers their first chance to attack.
KICK OFF
Jamie Shillcock kicks us off and the match is underway!
-5
PERFECT RUGBY WEATHER
The summer is still here in Leicester and the sun is still shining as kick off approaches.
Plenty of familiar faces fill the seats and terraces of Mattioli Woods Welford Road and all look ready to roar on Leicester Tigers.
-25
A WARM WELCOME TO LEICESTER
Amongst those new faces, four summer signings are set for action.
Centre Will Wand is set to start, while prop Nicky Smith, fly-half Ben Volavola and centre Izaia Perese will look to gain minutes from the replacements.
Also joining Cheika for their first time in the (home) coaches box is attack coach Peter Hewat.
-30
WELCOME HOME
We are back at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as a highly-anticipated 2024/25 season gets underway!
Tonight's exhibition fixture sees a visit from old friends Nottingham Rugby, while the Tigers family can catch a glimpse of a raft of new faces.
A couple of those new faces are found in the coaches box as today marks the first Tigers fixture under the reign of head coach Michael Cheika.