Leicester Tigers have defeated Northampton Saints 24-8 in the East Midlands Derby.
An outstanding physical display from Michael Cheika’s side sealed a crucial first league win at Mattioli Woods Welford Road this season.
Tigers shot out of the traps, using some trickery from a quick tap to find a hole in Saints’ defence. Jack van Poortvliet provided the pass, and Freddie Steward got the ball down.
Handré Pollard converted from out-wide to make it 7-0 after five minutes.
That score woke the visitors up, and they had more than a couple opportunities to score, including a disallowed try for Tommy Freeman.
It was Tigers however, who would get the next points, Pollard turning a penalty into three points.
Saints would get a three of their own before the break, both sides probably feeling they had left more points out on the pitch.
Tigers began the second period with similar intent, showing bruising physicality and a spark in attack.
The points though would come through the pack. First Olly Cracknell, then Ollie Chessum; the forwards rumbled over for a pair of tries and Pollard added the extras to make it 24-3 with just under 20 to play.
Saints grabbed a consolation at the death, but it would finish 24-8.
Commentary
FULL TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
The East Midlands Derby bragging rights go to Leicester Tigers, as Steward's first half score is added to by Olly Cracknell and Ollie Chessum.
Tigers return next Sunday for a dynamite double-header and the chance to claim the Slater Cup.
Final score: Leicester Tigers 24 - 8 Saints
80
CONVERSION MISSED |SAINTS
The ball falls a couple of times in the build up but finally Fin Smith has a crack, the ball flying wide.
TRY | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Saints win the ball back and come again, finally going over through a slick move that ends up in the hands of Tommy Freeman, a try that ends the match.
75
TIGERS DEFENDING RELENTLESSLY
The relentless defence continues, it's been almost ten minutes of Northampton battering on the door and another chance initially goes begging as a looping pass cant be held.
Saints then come again and once again the ball is held up as Munga tries to touch down, but play comes back for a penalty.
Tigers once again defend superbly and force a knock on, before, from the free play, winning a penalty themselves and finally winning the right to clear to half way.
70
TRY DISALLOWED | SAINTS
Yet another try held up from Tigers.
Saints are attacking from close range, relentlessly searching for a scrum
In the first instance, Pollock is hit hard by Woodward and knocks on before, a handful of minutes later, Cole does superbly to get under the ball.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Emeka Ilione is on for Reffell and Will Wand is on his first Derby Day as he replaces Dan Kelly.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Rousing response abound Mattioli Woods Welford Road as van Poortvliet is replaced by Ben Youngs.
30 East Midlands Derby for the scrum half, the most of anyone in history.
CONVERSION | Handré Pollard
Polly adds the extras and extends the home lead to 21 points.
TRY | OLLIE CHESSUM
Tigers extend their lead.
After the maul is stopped, Tigers look to press their man advantage directly.
Dan Cole goes close initially, then Wells goes in before finally Ollie Chessum burrows over, superb grit from the lock.
YELLOW CARD | SAINTS
From nowhere, as Saints look to spread wide, Joseph Woodward picks it out of the air.
The centre has a lot to do but beats two men before being brought down.
Tigers have vast overlaps and try to play quickly but Pearson, on the ground, delays the ball and is shown to the sin bin.
58
TRY DISALLOWED | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Successive line outs for Saints see them drive over twice, both times the ball held up.
On the second, Harry Wells does tremendously to get his arm under the ball as a rampaging Tom Pearson tries to crash down, the lock preventing what looked a certain score.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Dan Cole comes on in place of the excellent Heyes.
SUBSTITUTION | TIGERS
Charlie Clare is on for Montoya, the captain receiving a gratuitous applause from the Tigers Family.
CONVERSION | Handré Pollard
The Springbok is back on the field and slots the extras easily.
TRY | OLLY CRACKNELL
Leicester win yet another scrum penalty and the ball is kicked to the corner.
Tigers, still with 14 men as Pollard is still off, hit another perfect line out and it's on.
The line out is defended well before the ball is shipped out and Woodward drives in. Heyes then comes in and wins a penalty for offside from Saints.
This time, Tigers want another scrum, less than five metres out, Montoya making a big call with one eye swelled shut.
It is a tremendous call. The scrum drives straight through Northampton, worried about giving away a penalty, and three subsequent carries eventually see Olly Cracknell blast over from short range, under the posts.
49
TIGERS FORCE A KNOCK ON
Saints survive the scrum and Pollock makes ground upfield but a phase later the ball is knocked on and Tigers have an attacking scrum down in Saints back left corner.
Huge 'Tigers' cheers ring out as the crowd prepare for a vital set piece.
47
LEICESTER JUST SHORT
Tigers defend it well and begin carrying upfield, keeping ball in hand.
Chessum and Liebenberg make big carries before Hassell-Collins breaks free out wide after a beautiful offload out the back from van Poortvliet, the scrum half then making an additional 20 metres before offloading to Woodward.
Tigers, ten metres out, fly into contact through Smith, Reffell and Steward before eventually the ball is knocked on out wide to halt the gathering momentum.
YELLOW CARD | LEICESTER TIGERS
Handré Pollard is shown to the sin bin after a high tackle in midfield.
Saints with an attacking line out.
WE'RE BACK UNDERWAY
We're back underway in the East Midlands Derby.
Trevor Davison is on for Elliot Millar Mills for the visitors.
HALF TIME HERE AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
Tiegrs lead a full-blooded East Midlands Derby by seven points at the break after Steward's early try and two kicks from Pollard.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 10 - 3 Northampton Saints
39
Woodward Embracing Derby Day
The young centre has been thoroughly involved thus far and does well in successive plays.
The first sees a big carry win metres over fly half Smith, before two phases later, a nice switch from JvP gives Woodward a 3 v 2 which allows Kelly to be released out left.
Tigers lose the ball a couple of phases later and Saints kick it out to end the half.
PENALTY | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
The ball is lost and play returns to midfield.
Possession is traded back and forth before Saints win a penalty inside the Tigers half.
Fin Smith lines up from around 30 metres and confidently converts, Saints' first points of the day.
YELLOW CARD | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
A penalty is given to Tigers after a high tackle from hooker Curtis Langdon, a yellow card and ten minute sin bin awarded to the Saint.
31
MONTOYA RETURNS TO THE FIELD
The captain is back on to the sounds of roaring applause.
30
HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE THUS FAR
From a knock on, Tigers concede a penalty at scrum time.
Saints play several slick phases but strong tackles from the likes of Pollard allow the hosts to win the ball back.
Freddie Steward hits a booming clearance long and Tigers win it back, now ongoing with a number of agricultural carries themselves in the centre of the field.
25
VITAL TURNOVER
Tommy Turnover back to his old tricks.
A multitude of phases see Saints fail to make the gainline as Tigers hold strong, a Heyes tackle then allowing Reffell a chance to get over the ball.
Tigers now attacking in Saints half.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
Montoya goes off to receive stitches, replaced by Charlie Clare.
24
REFFELL RETURNS TO THE FIELD
The Wales flanker is back on after 10 minutes in the sin bin.
PENALTY | Handré Pollard
A penalty is won after a Saints infringement at the ruck and Handré Pollard makes no mistakes from around fifteen metres out, to the left of the posts.
19
ANOTHER MASSIVE SCRUM
Heyes, Montoya, Smith et al. are causing havoc at the set piece and an awesome drive sees yet another penalty won at scrum time.
Another attacking line out for Tigers inside the Saints 22.
18
TRY DISALLOWED | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
Pollock carries strongly in midfield before the ball is played out the back of the backline and eventually finds its way out to Freeman who runs over.
However, the ball is judged to have been knocked on by George Furbank in the build up and play is called back for a scrum in Leicester's half.
SUBSTITUTION | NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
The injured Sam Graham was replaced by young flanker Henry Pollock.
17
SAINTS COME BACK UPFIELD
The maul is off and away but the opportunity just goes amiss as the ball squirms out, allowing Saints scrum half McParland to clear up to halfway
15
TIGERS WIN THE BALL BACK AND FLY UP
A penalty is given alongside the yellow card but Chessum leaps highest from the subsequent line out and taps the ball back.
Pollard clears the ball long before his chase sees the ball knocked on by Tommy Freeman.
The scrum then does superbly to bulldoze the visiting pack and win a penalty that is kicked into the Saints 22.
From defending on their own five-metre to attacking inside the opposition 22, superb play from Leicester.
YELLOW CARD | LEICESTER TIGERS
Tommy Reffell is shown to the sin bin for an illegal tackle.
14
BREAK IN PLAY
Play is halted due to an injury to a Northampton Saints player.
12
TIGERS DEFEND WELL
The line out is executed slickly by the visitors but the Tigers defence holds firm, not losing ground from a couple of direct carries before forcing a knock on as Saints reach for the line.
9
SAINTS THREATENING
Montoya and Watson make incremental metres in midfield but are turned over by lock Chunya Munga.
Saints kick into a dangerous area but the line out is not straight and Tigers clear their lines.
Play moves back into midfield but Leicester are then called offside and Saints return to a line out on the 22.
5
EARLY SCRUM HOLDS STRONG
Joe Heyes, returning to the starting XV today, Montoya and Nicky Smith set a great platform for JvP to box kick long.
Anthony Watson hunts down his opposite number brilliantly to force a turnover before a second kick, crossfield from Pollard, almost finds Ollie Hassell-Collins.
CONVERSION | Handré Pollard
Handré Pollard slots the extras from the touchline, an ice cold kick from the Springbok.
TRY | FREDDIE STEWARD
A picture-perfect Montoya throw hits Chessum and Tigers begin driving.
A penalty is won and Tigers go for a set-piece move from the tap and go; Montoya hits Chessum who spins and offloads to van Poortvliet out the back.
JvP the hits Steward flat on a crashing line and the fullback stretches to touch down.
KICK OFF
Handré Pollard gets us underway and a deep kick causes issues for Saints, their box kick only reaching Anthony Watson on the visitors 22.
Playing it wide, Dan Kelly chips over the top and Tigers win a penalty at the subsequent ruck.
Attacking line out early!
-1
AN ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE
'Smoke on the water' booms out of the speakers of a packed and boisterous Mattioli Woods Welford Road, an immense atmosphere here at home.
The players run out, the Tigers Family are ready, come on you Tigers!
-5
CHEIKA'S FIRST EAST MIDLANDS DERBY
Head Coach Michael Cheika returns to the coaches box this weekend and is set for Derby Day.
Ahead of the game, he reflected on what made these matches so special: "It's not hard to work out when you're 40 minutes down the road from someone, you know. There's big rivalry that comes with the proximity of the village because you share a lot of acquaintances and therefore you want to have the bragging rights to those acquaintances and it hurts when you lose those.
"I know that from just growing up and playing footy myself, that crosstown rivalry. My club, we were Randwick. Eastern Suburbs was the club rivalry, and then I've been in the Stade Français, Racing. Castes, Toulouse when I played there. Leinster vs Munster.
"Even in the professional era, those things still exist and they're still strong.
"When it means something to you, then you'll keep getting back up off the floor.
"When you get knocked down, you'll come back for another go at it and I think that it's truly important in rugby that you're really passionate about what you want to do. "
-15
TEAM NEWS
Julián Montoya and Handré Pollard return to Leicester today following exceptional international campaigns with Argentina and South Africa respectively.
Montoya captains a side that also features the return of Olly Cracknell at No. 8 and a second straight start for academy graduate Joseph Woodward, having made the step up to the senior squad over the summer.
-30
HALF AN HOUR TO GO!
There's just thirty minutes until the 254th East Midlands Derby match!
Tigers welcome Northampton Saints to Mattioli Woods Welford Road so take your seat at Tigers HQ, turn on TNT Sports 1 or stick with us here on Matchday Live for all the updates