Leicester Tigers have been defeated 31-12 to Northampton Saints at Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Seven Tigers made their first appearance for the club in the Premiership Cup clash, Tigers now looking forward to taking on Coventry Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday, November 9.
First-half
Both teams had their opportunities early, Saints having a try ruled out and Tigers having sustained pressure inside the home side’s 22-metre area.
It was Tigers who would open the scoring, Malelili Satala taking a pop pass off Solomone Kata’s hip to score under the posts.
Jamie Shilcock converted to give Tigers a 7-0 lead.
Saints responded however and wrestled the ascendancy.
The home side’s first would come from a collected cross-kick from flanker Henry Pollock, and after Tigers scrum-half Tom Whiteley was sent to the bin for a deliberate knock-down, winger James Ramm gave Saints the lead.
George Makepeace-Cubitt converted the pair to make it 14-7.
Northampton added a third before half-time through Tom Litchfield, though the missed conversion meant Tigers were still within two scores at the break.
Second-half
The sides continued to exchange blows after half-time, the home side getting the better of the exchanges.
Saints attack, impressive throughout the game, created holes in Tigers defence and the home team were good enough to exploit, first through fullback George Hendy and then through replacement Ewan Baker.
The home side remained on-top, but Tigers would see encouraging performances from their academy players on debut, 18-year-old Charlie Bemand coming on at scrum-half.
Tigers would get the final points of the evening, centre Will Wand racing away from long-range to make it 31-12 and that’s how it would end at Cinch Stadium.
Commentary
TIGERS DEFEATED BY SAINTS
Defeat on the road, 31-12, in the opening round of the Premiership Rugby Cup.
79
BACK OFF THE POSTS
The score remains 31-12 after Jamie Shillcock's conversion attempt comes back off the posts.
One minute left on the clock...
TRY | Will Wand
Some slick, quick handling from Tigers sees Will Wand into space and the centre pins the ears back to run it in and score in the corner.
DOUBLE DEBUTANTS
The Tigers bench is cleared with Charlie Bemand (scrum-half) and Henry Mountford (prop) the final two changes for the visitors.
THRELFALL ON FOR SATALA
A change made with ten minutes left in Northampton as Tom Threlfall joins the game.
69
TIGERS KEEP FIGHTING
Despite the deficit, the visitors aren't giving up as is shown with back-to-back try-saving efforts in cover defence.
MYALL ADDED TO ACTION
Charlie Myall is on in place of Solomone Kata in the Leicester backline with just under 20 minutes remaining.
60
THE HOUR MARK
On the hour mark, the conversion attempt fades away to the left of the uprights and Northampton's lead remains 31-7.
TRY | Ewan Baker
Saints swoop on a loose ball in the middle of the field before finding space down the left, with some quick hands, and it's replacement back Ewan Baker who gets across for the try.
TWO CHANGES TO THE PACK
A double change in the tight five for Tigers with Archie van der Flier (prop) and Lewis Chessum (lock) brought on from the bench to replace James Whitcombe and Tom Manz.
CON | George Makepeace-Cubitt
The Saints lead is stretched to 17 points, after 55 minutes, after a successful conversion from George Makepeace-Cubitt.
TRY | George Hendy
The home side finally find a way through after owning most of the ball in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half and it's fullback George Hendy who crosses for Northampton's fourth.
WILLIAMS ON AT THE BASE
Sam Williams is on in the back-row to replace Emeka Ilione.
CHANGE UP FRONT FOR TIGERS
Archie Vanes is brought on, at hooker, in place of Finn Theobald-Thomas, who is helped from the field by medical staff with a leg injury.
SECOND HALF GETS GOING
The second chapter of tonight's story gets going with the home side, leading 19-17, getting the game back underway.
BEHIND AT THE BREAK
Tigers head into the changing rooms down by twelve, 19-7, at Northampton.
37
CONVERSION MISSED
The score remains at 19-7 approaching the break with the kick going wide for Saints.
TRY | Tom Litchfield
The home side have a third after again finding luck down the left in attack and it's Tom Litchfield who gets the score to make it 19-7 with a kick to come.
WHITELEY RETURNS
We are back at 15 v 15 with Tom Whiteley's sin bin coming to an end.
30
HALF AN HOUR DOWN
Half an hour gone in Northampton and the difference is just seven after an open, entertaining game so far!
CON | George Makepeace-Cubitt
George Makepeace-Cubitt makes it a seven-point, 14-7, lead for Saints after 25 minutes in Northampton.
TRY | James Ramm
Saints take advantage of their overlap almost immediately and, with quick hands to the left, find space and James Ramm runs it in for the home side's second.
YELLOW | Tom Whiteley
Tigers are down to 14 for the next 10 minutes after Tom Whiteley is shown a yellow card for an intentional knock-on.
CON | George Makepeace-Cubitt
We are level, 7-7, after 16 minutes in Northampton after a conversion for George Makepeace-Cubitt.
TRY | Henry Pollock
The home side are on the scoreboard, through Henry Pollock, after a cross-field kick bounces up and into the hands of the back-rower, who runs it in under the sticks to score.
13
EXCITING OPENING
Both sides showing a willingness to attack tonight with an entertaining and exciting start to this Cup clash under lights.
CON | Jamie Shillcock
Jamie Shillcock converts to make it a seven-point lead for Tigers after ten minutes.
TRY | Malelili Satala
Pressure pays off for Leicester who, after three successive penalties deep inside Northampton's half, break the Saints defence and score the first try of the match through Malelili Satala.
7
TMO TIME ... AGAIN
For the second time in the match, the TMO is on the job after George Pearson crashes over for Tigers.
But, it's held up on replay evidence. No try.
4
FOUL PLAY FOUND
The TMO judges contact on Will Wand as "high" and the Northampton opening score is rubbed out. We are heading back for a Tigers penalty on halfway.
4
HEADING TO THE TMO
A mistake from Tigers near halfway is swooped upon by the home side, who move it through the hands to the left quickly, and get across the chalk with scrum-half Archie McParland dotting down.
But, we're heading back for a potential high shot from the home side a few phases earlier...
UNDERWAY IN NORTHAMPTON!
Jamie Shilcock gets the game - and our Premiership Rugby Cup campaign - underway in Northampton!