Leicester Tigers have fallen 27-25 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road after a late Gloucester try undid a spirited Tigers fightback.
A cagey league contest would best describe the opening 20 minutes, Tigers having a couple half chances but Gloucester looking the more settled of the two teams.
Tigers broke the deadlock through Shillcock’s boot but Gloucester would score the first try through Zach Mercer.
Carreras converted and would make it 10-3 minutes later.
Gloucester, with their tales firmly up, went hunting for more and got their second of the night through Chris Harris. Carreras made it 17-3.
Tigers would get one try back just before the break, Tommy Reffell the beneficiary of the rolling maul.
Shillcock wouldn’t find the range and it was 17-8 as the teams headed to the changing rooms.
Leicester lifted after the break, going back to their driving maul in front of the Breedon Stand, Solomone Kata the one to benefit.
That made it 17-13 though Gloucester would knock three points over shortly after the restart.
Tigers continued to hunt down Gloucester and again it was the maul, this time Jasper Wiese to score.
Shillcock’s kick hit the uprights, but he would make up for it in the 72nd minute, the flyhalf taking a beautiful pass from Jack van Poortvliet to race away for the try in the shadows of the Mattioli Woods stand.
There was to be a final twist in the tale however, and a superb late try from scrum-half Stephen Varney and Carreras’ simple conversion sunk Tigers in the end.
The final score from Mattioli Woods Welford Road, 27-25.
Commentary
FULL TIME AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
A last second score from Stephen Varney and subsequent conversion hands Gloucester a last gasp win.
Full time score: Leicester Tigers 25 - 27 Gloucester Rugby
CONVERSION | GLOUCESTER
Carreras makes no mistake from in front of the posts to allow the visitors to retake the lead in the final seconds of the game.
TRY | GLOUCESTER
This time Gloucester do make it count.
From the clearance long, the visitors run it back before scrum half Stephen Varney squeeks through an inch of space to run it home beneath the posts.
76
HELD UP ON THE LINE
The Cherry & Whites look to fire back, retaining the ball with short carries before a penalty is kicked to touch just five metres out.
The maul is set but Tigers defend doggedly on their own line, repelling successive waves before an attempted dive over the top is held up, allowing Tigers to clear long.
CONVERSION | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
The fly half converts his own score, adding the extras with aplomb from just to the left of the posts.
TRY | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Tigers retake the lead!
Successive carries allow incremental gains upfield before the hosts win the penalty in front of the posts.
Playing advantage and with a free play, Tigers run an audacious maneuver that comes off perfectly; quick hands see a half-break in midfield but the ball is popped up to van Poortvliet, the scrum half whipping it round his back to bamboozle the rushing visitors and send Shillcock straight through a gap to run it home.
68
SEE-SAW BATTLE UNDER THE LIGHTS
A real basketball match here sees the play stretch from end to end, big carries coming in from duelling 8's Wiese and Mercer, kicking battles that see several cool takes from Steward under immense pressure and big shots coming in across the park as the game edges toward the final 10 minutes.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
A switch in both the forwards and backs, Olly Cracknell entering for Reffell, while in the centres, Phil Cokanasiga comes on for Kata.
55
CONVERSION MISSED | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
The fly half is again desperately close, this time the ball ricocheting off the post to allow Gloucester to retain a slender lead.
TRY | JASPER WIESE
A huge try from the Springbok!
Steward starts this phase off, his up and under causing chaos, before centres Kelly and Kata combine to make ground and grubber through to the danger zone.
Again Tigers' chase is superb and Shillcock drags the Gloucester wing to touch to force a line out.
The initial shove sees the visitors give away a penalty so a kick to the corner sees Tigers drive over on the second time of asking, Wiese touching down to complete the hat trick of maul tries.
SUBSTITUTIONS | LEICESTER TIGERS
Both props are now switched for the hosts as Joe Heyes comes on in place of Dan Cole.
The second change sees a ripple of applause around Mattioli Woods Welford Road as Jack van Poortvliet makes his return, replacing Ben Youngs.
SUBSTITUTION | GLOUCESTER
Gloucester respond with a prop change of their own, Jamal Ford-Robinson entering the field.
PENALTY | GLOUCESTER
The visitors respond quickly, Mercer making a break through the centre before the Cherry & White's clinch a penalty in front of the posts.
Carreras again makes no mistake in adding the three points.
SUBSTITUTION | LEICESTER TIGERS
A switch at prop as James Whitcombe enters the field in place of James Cronin.
44
CONVERSION MISSED | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Shillcock again can't quite add the extras from the touchline, this time over correcting and pulling his conversion too far inwards.
TRY | SOLOMONE KATA
The centre gets the second half off to the best possible start!
It all comes from Kata, the Tongan somehow catching the Gloucester defence unawares to pick and go from the ruck and shoot through the defensive line from just outside Tigers' 22.
He and Ben Youngs play a 1-2, before the scrum half pokes through a grubber kick right into the danger zone, centremetres from the visitors line and right in the corner. With the pressure high and Tigers flooding in, Gloucester concede the penalty.
A kick to the corner and Leicester pack the maul, Kata at the back of it touch down on a move he started.
BACK UNDERWAY AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
The teams have returned to the field, Gloucester's Santi Carreras hitting a long drop kick to get the second half started.
HALF TIME
The half comes to an end with that kick, Tigers looking to get back into the game after a flurry of Gloucester points took them ahead in the final 15 minutes of the half.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 8 - 17 Gloucester Rugby
39
CONVERSION MISSED | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Shillcock goes devestatingly close from the left touchline, his booming attempt smashing back off the right post.
TRY | Tommy Reffell
Leicester bite back in typical Tigers fashion.
Hassell-Collins makes the initial difference, chasing down a nudge over the top to flatten Jonny May and allow the forwards to get over the ball and turn it over.
A penalty given, Tigers opt to kick to touch before setting a rolling maul which drives over, Reffell at the base to touch down.
CONVERSION | GLOUCESTER
Carreras again adds the extras from in front of the posts.
TRY | GLOUCESTER
Straight from the line out, Gloucester execute a line breaking move, centre Chris Harris collecting a delicate pop pass and shooting through a tackle to dive over the line.
PENALTY | GLOUCESTER
Carreras adds an extra three points, Gloucester turning the ball over on the Tigers 22 before winning a penalty in front of the sticks.
CONVERSION | GLOUCESTER RUGBY
Santi Carreras adds the extras and extends the Cherry & White's lead.
TRY | GLOUCESTER
No. 8 Zach Mercer goes over for the game's first try.
A break from prop Kirill Gotovtsev almost results in a score with Leicester saved by a tap tackle by Steward on Mercer, but the visitors take their time deep in Tigers territory, slick hands giving Mercer a second bite of the cherry and he makes no mistake.
SUBSTITUTION | GLOUCESTER
Chris Harris enters the field for the visitors following an injury.
PENALTY | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Tigers claim the first points of the game!
Bassett makes an electric break out wide, sprinting past his oppisite man with an ankle-breaking side step before the side plays back infield and win the penalty.
Shillcock makes no mistake from in front of the posts and slots the three points.
20
A PLETHORA OF POPS
Leicester are knocking on the door and asking plenty of questions of the Gloucester defence.
Kata is the initial gamebreaker, smashing through one tackle before offloading from the deck.
Moments later, Wiese mirrors his physical counterpart, flicking the ball out to Josh Bassett who makes metres out right. The ball then travles back inside for a couple of forward carries before going full width, a looping ball to Liebenberg finds the flanker in space on the left touchline.
However a sustained spell of possession comes to an end as the referee pings Tigers for holding on in the ruck. Gloucester kick it to touch and attempt to launch a move but it's disrupted almost immediatly by captain Julián Montoya who wins possession back and allows Leicester to make their way back upfield.
10
TIGERS ON TOP EARLY
Gloucester look to launch from the set piece and carry hard but Solomone Kata puts in the game's first big shot, dump tackling his opposite man and allowing Tigers to rip the ball.
Shillcock puts a tempting grubber in behind the line but Hassell-Collins is just a fingertip away; moments later, Shillcock puts in a line breaking pass wide to Dan Kelly who makes it all the way up to the opposing 22 before the final pass goes awry.
5
GLOUCESTER PLAYING FOR TERRITORY
Returning from Six Nations duty this week, Freddie Steward as already had plenty to do, fielding all manner of kicks from the visitors.
Ben Youngs is also back in the starting XV today and marks his return with a cheeky out-the-back-of-the-hand pass to open up space for Shillcock to boom the ball downfield.
KICK OFF HERE AT MATTIOLI WOODS WELFORD ROAD
Jamie Shillcock gets proceedings underway under a dark Leicestershire sky.
-2
BOTH TEAMS VYING FOR THE SLATER CUP
Both Tigers and Gloucester are fighting not just for bragging rights tonight but also for The Slater Cup, to commend former captain Ed Slater who is battling MND.
Fittingly, the trophy has been brought onto the field by Ed's children, Florence, Frank and Edie Slater.
-5
FIVE MINUTES TO GO!
We're almost ready for action at a packed Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
The teams have been announced, with the biggest roar of the night thus far reserved for Jack van Poortvliet, who makes his return to a Leicester Tigers jerset tonight, named amongst the replacements.
Gallagher Premiership action coming your way very soon.
-15
LATE CHANGE FOR TIGERS
In case you missed it, a late illness for Handré Pollard has meant the Springbok has been ruled out of tonight's fixture.
Consequently, Jamie Shillcock lines up at Fly Half, with Kieran Wilkinson joining on the bench.
-30
30 MINUTES TILL KICK OFF!
There's just half an hour to go until the Gallagher Premiership returns for The Run In!
Leicester Tigers will battle Gloucester Rugby tonight with The Slater Cup on the line.
Watch LIVE on TNT Sports or stay right here for all the updates on Matchday Live.