Leicester Tigers have fallen to Bath Rugby 20-15 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Errors proved costly for a Tigers side who had the advantage going into the break, a late Dan Cole try giving Leicester the bonus-point.
Tigers were under an avalanche of Bath pressure early on, but it was Tigers who would grab the first points of the game, Jamie Shillcock kicking a penalty goal from in-front.
Bath would get the game’s first try through Will Muir, but Tigers were defending with all their strength, limiting the visitors opportunity to attack.
Leicester, buoyed by a Mattioli Woods Welford Road crowd in full voice, began to apply their own pressure to the game.
A try wouldn’t come quickly, but when it did, it was a peach from captain Jack van Poortvliet.
The captain caught Bath out of position and predominantly offside, scurried through midfield, making it right to the 22 where he was dragged down.
He then found a gap in Bath’s defence, slipped through it and dived under the sticks.
Shillcock added the extras and it would remain 10-5 at the break.
Bath scored first in the second-half, Tom de Glanville sliding across the line after a well-worked move.
Tigers continued to create opportunities, but errors at untimely moments cost Leicester, and Bath made full advantage with Pepper going over from close-range and Ben Spencer extending their lead to 10 points from the tee. 20-10.
Dan Cole got one back late for Tigers, but Bath had the win in their hands and closed it out at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, 20-15.
Commentary
80
TIGERS BACK HOME IN TWO WEEKS TIME
We return to Mattioli Woods Welford Road in two weeks for the East-Midlands derby against reigning Gallagher Premiership champions Northampton Saints.
Get your tickets now for what will be a fiery derby.
FULL TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
A late try from Dan Cole isn't enough as Tigers fall just short to Bath Rugby.
Guy Pepper's second half try and a Spencer penalty gives the visitors a narrow victory.
Final score: Leicester Tigers 15 - 20 Bath Rugby
79
CONVERSION MISSED | BEN VOLAVOLA
With just a minute on the clock, Volavola kicks it wide on the angle.
TRY | DAN COLE
A rare try for the veteran sees Tigers granted a late lifeline.
Cole actually starts it off by winning yet another scrum penalty, kicked to touch. From there, Youngs dictates the phases as forwards go crashing in before finally Cole smashes over from short range.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Côme Joussain enters the field for Harry Wells.
On the field, Tigers have been throwing the kitchen sink at Bath but can't quite breach the defensive line as we get set for a scrum on halfway.
PENALTY | BATH RUGBY
Ben Spencer takes over kicking duties and slots a penalty from just outside the 22.
72
VITAL TURNOVER
Ben Youngs, on for van Poortvliet, does superbly to win a turnover on the 22 as Bath were attacking.
70
PENALTY MISSED | BATH RUGBY
Finn Russell almost extends the lead to 10 points with a well-struck penalty just inside the Tigers half but the ball flies just wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Mike Brown replaces Anthony Watson on the wing.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Young hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas enters the field for Charlie Clare.
CONVERSION | BATH RUGBY
Russell adds the extras and extends the Bath lead.
TRY | BATH RUGBY
A 50.22 causes real problems for Tigers and eventually results in a try.
Possession actually changes hands a couple of times on the Tigers line but eventually young flanker Guy Pepper burrows over for Bath under the posts.
SUBSTITUTIONS | BATH RUGBY
That's Obano's last act as he's replaced by a familiar face in Francois van Wyk.
Also coming on is Niall Annett for Tom Dunn and Charlie Ewels for Ross Molony.
55
THE COLAR BEAR STRIKES!
No messing about from the replacement props, as a scrum penalty is immediately won to huge cheers from the TradeView Markets stand.
Cole has got right underneath international compatriot Beno Obano as Tigers fold the opposition.
SUBSTITUTIONS | BOTH SIDES
After a fine job in the scrum, Heyes and Smith exit to huge applause replaced by James Cronin and Dan Cole, while Shillcock also exits in place of Ben Volavola.
For the visitors, the Bayliss experiment ends early as he is replaced by scrum half Tom Carr-Smith.
52
PHYSICALITY RAMPING UP
Steward gives Bayliss a warm introduction to the wing with another monstrous hit that forces a knock on before Smith, Clare and Heyes win another scrum penalty.
SUBSTITUTION | BATH RUGBY
Jaco Coetzee comes on for Alfie Barbeary.
49
BAYLISS TO THE WING
With Hill's substitution for Muir, Ted has shifted to flanker meaning back-row speedster Josh Bayliss has moved to the wing.
The Scotland international has shown tricky feet against Tigers in the past, most notably in the 2021/22 season in the match at The Rec but this is a rather unique situation.
48
CONVERSION MISSED | FINN RUSSELL
Russell again can't add the extras and we remain all square here at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
TRY | BATH RUGBY
Tom de Glanville scores out wide after slick hands from the scrum create space for the full back to dive over and level the game.
SUBSTITUTION | BATH RUGBY
A rather bizarre substitution, on the face of it, sees flanker Ted Hill come on for wing Will Muir, with Bath facing a shortage of backs.
The England man is an exceptional runner but this will surely test his capabilities.
45
NIP-AND-TUCK START TO THE HALF
Bath enjoy the bulk of the early possession but are unable to break down a staunch Tigers side.
Hassell-Collins fields a grubber through well, his offload then picked up by Perese who breaks past his own 22. Tigers play the phases but then clear long, subsequently trading kicks with the opposition until a wayward shot grants Bath a line out just outside the home 22.
42
HATHERELL STAYS ON THE FIELD
Kyle Hatherell will remain on the field as Olly Cracknell failed his HIA over the half time break.
THE SECOND HALF BEGINS
The visitors get us underway as Russell kicks deep into Tigers territory.
TIGERS LEAD AT THE BREAK
An exciting first half, despite the low score, sees Tigers hold a slender lead.
Shillcock's early penalty was cancelled out by Muir's try but van Poortvliet's superb score re-gained a deserved lead for the hosts.
Big 40 minutes to come.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 10 - 05 Bath Rugby
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Olly Cracknell exits for a HIA, replaced by Kyle Hatherell.
37
GREAT DEFENCE AGAIN
Yet another superb defensive read sees Bath ushered into touch once more, Watson doing well to bring down Muir, with his support then hitting the wing over the line.
Tigers win the ball and clear their lines as we inch closer toward half time.
CONVERSION | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Shlllcock adds the extras and it's a five point game.
TRY | JACK VAN POORTVLIET
A superb score from Captain Jack!
It's all come from the 9, who initially fields a clearance kick from Russell superbly; spotting Bath are way out of position and predominantly offside, he scurries through midfield, making it right to the 22 where he's dragged down.
Tigers play a couple of short phases before van Poortvliet pumps a dummy pass left and slips through a gap to run it home under the posts.
Tigers take the lead!
30
BIG SCRUM PENALTY WON
Against a trio of England internationals, the front row are superb.
Nicky Smith, on home Premiership debut, alongside Charlie Clare and Joe Heyes are brilliantly brutal to dismantle the visitors in successive scrums and win a penalty, allowing Shillcock to kick for an attacking line out five metres out.
27
PERESE RETURNS TO THE FIELD
The Wallaby centre's time in the sin bin is up and he returns to the field.
26
BATH PRESSING THE ADVANTAGE
With a man advantage, Bath are desperately attempting to find holes in the Tigers midfield but the hosts are holding firm.
Ollie Lawrence is defended really well by Kelly before Tom de Glanville is ushered into touch.
23
CONVERSION MISSED | FINN RUSSELL
Russell can't add the extras from the touchline and it remains a two point game.
TRY | BATH RUGBY
Wing Will Muir gets the game's opening try as Bath bite back.
An audacious pass goes to ground from the visitors but the bounce is kind, leading to Spencer feeding Muir in space who has the feet to stay infield and dive over to score.
PENALTY | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Shillcock gets the first points of the game, slotting a penalty from almost half way with aplomb.
18
TIGERS AGONISINGLY CLOSE AGAIN
As Bath clear up field, Tigers cut through the Bath defence in mercurial fashion, miss passes and dummy lines seeing Liebenberg fly down the wing unopposed, before feeding Hassell-Collins inside.
In the act of scoring though, the wing loses control of the ball and knocks it on over the line.
YELLOW CARD | IZAIA PERESE
Perese is shown to the sin bin; as Cokanasiga looked to clear the lines, Perese's jumping attempt to block sees him collide with the wing, which the referee adjudicates as a yellow card offence.
YELLOW CARD | IZAIA PERESE
Perese is shown to the sin bin; as Cokanasiga looked to clear the lines, Perese's jumping attempt to block sees him collide with the wing, which the referee adjudicates as a yellow card offence.
14
AGONISING FOR WELLS
Tigers come so close, the maul first repelled before Perese is stopped just short from a thunderous line before finally Wells, diving over, just loses control of the ball as he tries to place it on the line.
A knock on given, it's a scrum on Bath's five metre line.
12
TIGERS ROARING BACK INTO IT
As Bath come again, Leicester steal possession from under their noses and look to break from inside their own half.
Spotting space in behind, Shillcock puts in a dangerous grubber kick that bounces into touch five metres out, putting Bath under real pressure.
Tigers win the ball in the air and look to breach the Bath line.
9
DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
Again Bath make a break up the wing, this time on the right hand side as a whipped Spencer miss-pass finds Cokanasiga in space.
Hassell-Collins now tracks back superbly before the Bath short lines are met well by Tigers who then hold up Will Stuart, allowing Shillcock to clear back to the half way line.
SUBSTITUTION | BATH RUGBY
No. 8 Alfie Barbeary exits for a HIA, replaced by Jaco Coetzee
5
DEFENCE HOLDS STRONG
Bath make the game's first big break, wing Will Muir galloping through from halfway, leaving Watson to chase back and bring him down five metres from the line.
Perese and Dan Kelly then make brilliant defensive reads in succession to drag Bath backwards 10 metres as they try to go wide.
Incremental pick and go's see the visitors make that distance back but Leicester do brilliantly to get bodies into contact and hold the ball up as Bath cross the line.
3
TIGERS ON TOP EARLY
Bath clear their lines with a high box kick which Tigers win well.
Heavy carries over the gainline from the likes of George Martin free up space for Izaia Perese to make a half-break down the right wing.
Eventually the ball is lost in contact on Bath's 22 and a scrum sees the visitors pump the ball back downfield.
WE'RE UNDERWAY AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
Jamie Shillcock gets us underway as the sun comes out over Leicester.
The first Gallagher Premiership home game of 2024/25 begins!
-5
FIRST START OF THE SEASON FOR WATSON
Speaking of star power, few players come loaded with more than Anthony Watson.
The England and British & Irish Lions wing makes his first start of the season today.
-10
NO SHORTAGE OF STAR POWER TODAY
Bath have plenty of international superstardom in their ranks, including maverick fly half Finn Russell.
One of the big matchups today sees England scrum halfs, and respective team captains, Jack van Poortvliet and Ben Spencer go head-to-head.
JVP gets a big cheer from the Tigers Family as do the likes of Freddie Steward, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Joe Heyes, George Martin and Tommy Reffell.
-15
ATMOSPHERE BUILDING STEADILY
As Mattioli Woods Welford Road begins to fill up, there is a real buzz around the ground.
One of English rugby's oldest rivalries, Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby have produced innumerable blockbuster clashes over the years and both sides look set for another classic today.
The terrace is already packed to bursting as we get ready for the team reads today.
-20
A FIRST PREMIERSHIP HOME MATCH FOR CHEIKA
This match represents Michael Cheika first Gallagher Premiership home match.
Having lead the side to pre-season exhibition victories over Nottingham Rugby and Scarlets, the former Wallabies and Los Pumas coach will be looking for a winning competitive start against last year's defeated Gallagher Premiership finalists.
-30
HALF AN HOUR TO GO!
There's just 30 minutes till kick off at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as we welcome old rivals Bath Rugby.
This looks to be a cracker so head down to Tigers HQ, tune into TNT Sports to watch live or stick with us here on Matchday Live for all the updates as we get ready for Rugby!