Leicester Tigers progressed to the 23/24 Premiership Rugby Cup Final with an eight-point, 21-29, hard-fought away win over Ealing Trailfinders.
On the back of more than three weeks without a fixture, Tigers travelled to London with a side including a mix of experience and youth to take on the Championship club for a place in the decider.
The home side dominated the first quarter at Trailfinders Sports Ground, on the back of five penalties to Leicester’s one, and a clear intention to play quickly in front of their home crowd.
Ealing made the most of the territorial advantage and chances within range, through the boot of Billy Twelvetrees who kicked two penalty goals before the 20th minute to see his side lead 6-0.
Trailfinders suffered a blow in the 20th minute when lock Bobby De Wee was deemed to have kicked the ball from the hands of Tom Whiteley, while on the floor in the breakdown, and shown a yellow card for the act.
Almost immediately, Leicester made the most of the one man advantage when they crossed for the first try in the 23rd minute through Phil Cokanasiga.
The Tigers centre, on the back of a dominant driving maul from his pack and strong carries on the Ealing line, barged his way over with a rampaging run.
Jamie Shillcock converted the try to see Leicester lead for the first time, 6-7, after 24 minutes.
A chance to take back the lead for Trailfinders was missed, by just inches, when a long-rage penalty-goal attempt from Twelvetrees bounced back off the posts in the 28th minute.
Just two minutes later, on the half hour mark, Tigers had a second try with thanks again to the effort of the pack.
Another dominant driving maul deep inside the Ealing end was well managed from the back of the pack by hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas, in his first starting appearance for Leicester, who got across the chalk to make it a six-point, 6-12, lead with ten minutes remaining in the first half.
Both teams traded blows in before the break but were unable to add to the scoreboard.
Tigers saw the lead cut to three points, 9-12, with a third successful penalty-goal from Twelvetrees in the 50th minute before Ealing took it back approaching the hour mark.
On the back of a dominant scrum just 5m out from the Leicester line, and a one-man advantage after a yellow card for Dan Richardson, Trailfinders went over for their first try of the match through front-rower Will Goodrick-Clarke.
Twelvetrees was unable to convert the score, seeing the difference stay at two-points, 14-12, with twenty minutes left on the clock.
Tigers took back the lead in the 63rd minute, 14-15, after a long-range penalty goal from Shillcock before - just sixty seconds later - extending it to eight when Cokanasiga scored his second try of the semi-final.
The Leicester centre took an intercept 40m out from the Ealing line and outpaced Trailfinders defenders to dot it down under the posts before Shillcock converted to make it 14-22 with 15 minutes left on the clock.
However, the home side refused to give up and, in the dying stages of the game, found their way deep into the Leicester end through some expansive attack before, from close range, replacement hooker Mike Willemse forced his way over.
Twelvetrees converted to make it a one-point game, 21-22, with five minutes left in London.
Both packs went toe-to-toe in the final minutes at scrum time before Sam Edwards, only on the field for a handful of minutes, intercepted a pass from the home side to win back possession for Tigers and, from the next phase, Matt Scott crossed under the posts after running a perfect line off Kyle Hatherell to slice through the Ealing defensive line and make it 21-27.
Shillcock converted from in front to make it 21-29, where it remained, to see Leicester through to the Premiership Rugby Cup Final.
Commentary
TIGERS THROUGH TO CUP FINAL
An eight-point, 21-29, win over Ealing Trailfinders in London sees Leicester Tigers through the Premiership Rugby Cup Final.
CON | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Jamie Shillcock makes it 21-29 with less than minute left with a successful conversion attempt from in front.
TRY | MATT SCOTT
Matt Scott crosses under the posts with just 90 seconds left on the clock after running a perfect line off Kyle Hatherell to slice through the Ealing defensive line and make it 21-27.
CON | EALING TRAILFINDERS
Billy Twelvetrees converts to make it a one-point game, 21-22, with just over five minutes remaining.
TRY | EALING TRAILFINDERS
The home side find their way deep into the Leicester end through some expansive attack before, from close range, replacement hooker Mike Willemse forces his way over.
CON | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Jamie Shillcock converts the try from in front to make the lead eight points, 14-22, with 15 minutes remaining.
TRY | PHIL COKANASIGA
Phil Cokanasiga has a second after taking an intercept 40m out from the Ealing line and outpaces Trailfinder defenders to dot it down under the posts.
PEN | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Tigers take back the lead, by one point, after a long-range penalty goal from Jamie Shillcock.
TRY | EALING TRAILFINDERS
The home side, on the back of a dominant scrum just 5m out from the Leicester line, and a one-man advantage, get over for their first try of the match through Will Goodrick-Clarke.
YELLOW | DAN RICHARDSON
After repeated infringements, and a warning, Dan Richardson is the Tiger to be shown yellow and Leicester are down to 14 men for the next 10 minutes.
Tim Hoyt is brought on immediately, in the front row, which sees Matt Rogerson off.
PEN | EALING TRAILFINDERS
The lead is cut to three points, 9-12, with a third successful penalty-goal from Ealing's Billy Twelvetrees in the 50th minute.
SECOND HALF GETS GOING
Jamie Shillcock gets the game back underway at Ealing.
LEICESTER LEAD AT THE BREAK
Leicester take a six-point, 6-12, lead into the break at Ealing.
37
TRAILFINDERS FIGHT FOR THEIR LINE
The home side win back possession with a strong defensive display on their own line and earn a penalty at the breakdown to relieve pressure and kick for the line and out of their own 22.
35
TIGERS ON THE PROWL
Tigers making the most of territorial chances thanks to ill-discipline from the home side, who have conceded eight penalties in the last fifteen minutes.
TRY | FINN THEOBALD-THOMAS
Leicester's lead, on the back of another dominant driving maul deep inside the Ealing end, is extended to six points as Finn Theobald-Thomas crashes over at the back of the Tigers pack.
28
OFF THE POSTS
A chance to take back the lead for Ealing is missed, by inches, after a long-rage penalty-goal attempt from Billy Twelvetrees comes back off the posts.
CON | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Jamie Shillcock takes Tigers into the lead, 6-7, with a successful conversion attempt.
TRY | PHIL COKANASIGA
Phil Cokanasiga gets over for the first try of the afternoon after a handful of phases, one off the ruck from Tigers, with a rampaging run through the Ealing defensive line.
20
TIGERS MAUL TAMED BY TRAILFINDERS
The home side win back possession with a strong defensive maul on a Tigers lineout, 10m out from Ealing's line, after Leicester kick for the corner.
From the scrum to follow, the visitor's push their way through the Championship outfit to earn a penalty and second chance at the lineout within striking distance.
YELLOW | EALING TRAILFINDERS
Ealing lock Bobby De Wee is sent for ten minutes on the sideline, taking his side down to 14 men, for a cynical act at the breakdown in defence.
PEN | EALING TRAILFINDERS
Ealing lead 6-0 after almost 20 minutes with a second penalty-goal for Billy Twelvetrees.
17
TRAILFINDERS ROLL ON
A thirteen phase attack, on the back of successive penalties against Tigers, ends with a third infringement by Leicester and Ealing opt for another shot at three points after struggling to find a way through.
7
CHANCE OUT WIDE
The first opportunity for Tigers falls short after the ball is moved wide to the left, quickly through the hands, and Ollie Hassell-Collins finds some space to move. However, just metres out, is dragged down by Jonah Holmes and the ball is knocked on.
PEN | EALING TRAILFINDERS
Ealing the first to register points this afternoon, with a dominant scrum against the feed earning them a chance in front of the posts, and Billy Twelvetrees makes it 3-0.
KICK OFF IN EALING
We are underway at Ealing in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final!