Leicester Tigers have defeated Scarlets Rugby 31-7 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in the club’s final pre-season fixture ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Hanro Liebenberg opened the scoring from close-range before bagging a second later in the first period, the back-row having to show plenty of muscle to get the ball down in both occasions.
Ben Volavola chipped in with one conversion from the two tries.
Scarlets got their try off the back of a rolling drive, the score 12-7 at the break.
Hooker Charlie Clare was next to cross, the veteran catching Scarlets unaware after taking a quick tap from a penalty close to the line.
Volavola added the extras.
Scarlets had their moments and opportunities to score in the second-half, but Tigers stayed solid in defence, and it was Josh Bassett off the bench who was next to score.
Tom Whiteley, now with the kicking duties, made no mistake with the extras.
A final Tigers flourish saw Izaia Perese bully his way through the defence before Whiteley found Will Wand with a beautiful cross-kick to send the local lad over for his first try in Tigers colours.
That made it 31-7 and that’s how it would end.
Commentary
FULL TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
A hard-fought contest from both teams sees Leicester Tigers collect two wins from two pre-season games, with Hanro Liebenberg's first half brace added to by scores from Charlie Clare, Josh Bassett and Will Wand.
Final score: Leicester Tigers 31 - 7 Scarlets
79
CONVERSION MISSED | TOM WHITELEY
Whiteley can't quite make the conversion from the corner and the final whistle is blown.
TRY | WILL WAND
It's all sparked from Izaia Perese, who is offering just as much dynamism in the 78th minute as he did the first, throwing off two tacklers to advance well into Scarlets territory.
The forwards get set to keep it tight but Youngs instead pulls the ball back into Dan Kelly who's in the pocket.
The centre spins off and puts in a perfect crossfield kick which lands in the hands of Wand.
The boyhood Tigers fan still has a lot to do but keeps his composure, stepping inside the covering tackler before speeding into the corner and diving over for his first-ever Tigers try.
77
MIDFIELD BATTLE
Play hasn't left the central third of the pitch for the last 10 minutes as both sides enjoy glimpses of a break but can't quite pull it together.
Initially, Steward had broken well in midfield, the fullback flying through a gap but his offload couldn't quite release Josh Bassett.
Scarlets then come roaring right down the other end and Tigers have to defend, which they do well, not allowing the visitors into the 22.
Following a spell of possession, the visitors look to kick away, which Bassett fields well before passing wide to Youngs in space.
The crowd gets to their feet as the scrum half flies down the left touchline but Scarlets cover across well, meaning Youngs must spin the ball back infield where the forwards are met with a considerable riposte from the Welsh side.
70
PHYSICAL DEFENCE AGAIN
With ten minutes remaining, Tigers are as focused as ever.
With the visitors threatening from a line out on the 22, Will Wand shoots up and blitzes his man, driving him back five metres and allowing his teammates to get right over the ball and win a turnover, which Youngs box clears away.
CONVERSION | TOM WHITELEY
With Volavola off, scrum half Whiteley has moved across to fly half and he smashes the simple conversion.
TRY | JOSH BASSETT
Tigers continue to build the play, eventually forcing a penalty which is kicked to touch on the 22.
The forwards do superbly to break away from the initial maul and fire toward the try line where they're hauled down.
Youngs spreads the ball back toward the middle of the park where Steward hits a hard line and spins out of one tackle to land centremetres short before Bassett takes the ball on an arcing line and dives over unopposed under the posts.
61
SUBSTITUTIONS PAYING DIVIDENDS
All three subs are involved straight away as the forwards, lead by Heyes, pile in to contact with Youngs keeping the pace high from the breakdown before Steward hits a lovely miss-pass to put Bassett away down the left.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
Another raft of substitutions sees Joe Heyes, Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs enter the field.
51
GREAT DEFENCE ON LECIESTER'S LINE
Scarlets work their way to the hosts try line but Tigers fly up to shut down any possibilities.
Ilione, just minutes after coming on, powerfully rips the ball out of his opposite numbers hands mid-tackle, forcing a knock on and allowing Tigers a scrum and chance to clear their lines.
SUBSTITUTIONS | BOTH SIDES
Both teams ring the changes, as Scarlets bring on four players, including Wales hooker Ryan Elias, while Tigers bring on a whole new front row with James Whitcombe, Finn Theobold-Thomas, Tim Hoyt who are also joined by Emeka Ilione and Dan Kelly.
CONVERSION | BEN VOLAVOLA
Volavola adds the extras this time with a well-taken quick from the left-hand side.
TRY | CHARLIE CLARE
A subsequent penalty sees the ball kicked to touch, with a deep throw landing at the tail of the line out to Côme Joussain.
A maul is rapidly formed but brought down illegally. Tigers have a couple of snipes at the line via the advantage but, unable to get over, play is called back.
Clare doesn't waste any time though as Tigers take the line out quick and send the hooker at full speed and aimed straight at the try line where he touches down.
44
FOCUSED START TO THE SECOND HALF
Joe Woodward does excellently in an unfamiliar fullback position, fielding a kick confidently before skipping past one, two players before driving a third five metres back before being dragged down.
Tigers look to capitalise with the high tempo set by van Poortvliet picked up by Whiteley, before a Scarlets infringement sees Tigers opt for a scrum in front of the posts around 15 metres out.
A focused, physical start to the second half.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LECIESTER TIGERS
A slew of half time changes as Sam Williams, Tom Whiteley, Will Wand and Josh Bassett all enter the field.
WE'RE UNDERWAY FOR THE SECOND HALF
Volavola gets the second 40 minutes underway as three focused Tigers hit the poor catcher as a collective, driving Scarlets back early and forcing them into a clearance.
HALF TIME
An entertaining half of physically contested rugby comes to an end, with Tigers edging it thus far by a single try.
Two tries from Hanro Liebenberg bookend a driving score from Scarlet Jarrod Taylor.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 12 - 07 Scarlets
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Mike Brown leaves the field, replaced by Joseph Woodward.
35
CONVERSION MISSED | BEN VOLAVOLA
The fly halfs kick sails wide so it remains a five point game.
TRY | HANRO LIEBENBERG
From the scrum, van Poortvliet hits Satala who just runs it straight, full speed into the Scarlets 10 Ioan Lloyd.
From here, it's rapid phases as van Poortvliet keeps the tempo high, Cracknell crashing through flailing limbs before finally Liebenberg gets his second try of the game, driving low to touch down to the left of the posts.
28
TIGERS HELD UP
The hard press of the Scarlets defence has backfired slightly as successive penalties for offside give Tigers the opportunity to kick to touch on the five-metre line.
A well-worked line out move allows the back pod to peel off and look to drive over but it's held up well and the ball is kicked back to midfield.
Substitution | Leicester Tigers
Young lock Côme Joussain replaces Tom Manz.
22
AN ENTERTAINING ENCOUNTER THUS FAR
The game has really opened up over the last 10 minutes.
Scarlets looked to threaten again with a line out on the Tigers 22 but the hosts win it back and van Poortvliet hits a wonderful, swerving box kick to clear right back to the opposition try line.
Scarlets evade the chase and box kick to midfield, where Volavola is caught well before the visitors No. 8, Vaea Fifita hits a big driving tackle on Olly Cracknell.
Tigers retain the ball though, dodging the Scarlets who are shooting up in defence, with Kata barrelling through two players before a knock on halts a fabulous sequence.
CONVERSION | Scarlets
Another belter from the right touchline, Scarlets fly half Ioan Lloyd restores parity with a cracking kick.
TRY | SCARLETS
Clinical from the visitors.
On their first venture into the Tigers half all match, the Welsh side make Tigers pay.
Incremental gains keep them moving forward and Leicester can't halt the momentum, flanker Jarrod Taylor driving over.
CONVERSION | BEN VOLAVOLA
Fijian fly half Volavola adds the extras confidently, an arrow of a kick that flies straight down the middle from the right-hand touchline.
TRY | HANRO LIEBENBERG
..and the South African flanker opens the scoring!
Tigers have to work hard for this score as Scarlets defend the line out gamely.
Leicester stick to their structure though and keep the ball tight in the forwards, the likes of Manz, Cracknell and Hatherell all driving hard at the line.
It's Liebenberg who makes it over though, a nice tip on from lock Harry Wells giving Hanro half a yard of space which he drives into to touch down.
10
TIGERS PRYING FOR AN OPENING
A slick sequence sees Mike Brown win this round of kick tennis, the veteran catching an unsuspecting catcher off guard on halfway with a solid hit.
From the turnover, Tigers are offloading relentlessly, the likes of Kata, Volavola and van Poortvliet all searching for space.
Eventually a typically agricultural line from Hanro Liebenberg smashes the side over the gainline but an infringement at the ruck gives Tigers the penalty, which is duly kicked to touch.
5
Tigers with the opening chance
Scarlets get a chance to clear their lines after a line out but the hosts physicality fashions the game's first chance.
The destructive duo of Solomane Kata and Izaia Perese got their first minutes together last weekend and start today to great effect early.
A quick offload out of a tackle from Mike Brown sees Ben Volavola whip it wide where a Kata tip unleashes Perese. The Australian batters past one man before wrestling with another, in which Kata comes in to form a two man maul which advances 20 metres into the Scarlets 22.
Tigers can't convert but an marker is laid down for a physical contest.
WE'RE UNDERWAY AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
Scarlets get us underway with a long, ranging kick off to Kyle Hatherell who runs it back with aplomb, making great gain line metres.
From here an early kick battle ensues, one effectively won by young wing Malelili Satala who chops down the catcher and sets play just outside Scarlets' 22.
-5
TEAMS ARE SET
Although initially drizzly, the weather has eased up, with a fine day of rugby ahead of us.
Scarlets enter to polite applause from supporters but as 'Smoke On The Water' blasts out of the speakers Tigers enter to a huge roar as we get ready for kick off.
-25
YOUNGS RETURNS FOR SEASON #19
Speaking of academy graduates, Ben Youngs returns to Mattioli Woods Welford Road today for what will be his 19th season in green, red and white.
Having made his first team debut at 17 years old in February 2007, England's most-capped men's player has represented Tigers on over 300 occasions and is sure to receive a warm ovation from the Tigers Family today.
-30
HALF AN HOUR TILL KICK OFF
We're back at Mattioli Woods Welford Road for the final pre-season game of 2024/25!
For the first time in three years, Leicester Tigers will face Welsh side Scarlets, a match that will see the return of Academy graduates Joe Heyes and Freddie Steward .