Tigers 30 - Saints 25

This was a strangely unenjoyable match, despite the close score line.  Having Barnes as ref after last years debacle may not have been the best decision in the world, and it soon came home to roost.  Quarter of an hour into the match Flash tackled Tuilagi and then tried to pull him into touch.  This has become a bit of a thing with Flash, pulling players out, but in this case he grabbed hold of Tuilagis hair.  This was probably not sportsmanslike (and later lead to a 4 week ban after he was cited) but, importantly, lead to a full scale brawl which saw Tuilagi and Wood both red carded.  What was a potentially exciting match was again spoilt by a ref.  In the words of Max Boyce, "it cast a gloom over the whole proceedings".

The game itself seesawed to and fro.  At half time it was 15-6 to the Tigers.  One of the Tigers tries came from Matt Smith, tackled by Flash well before the line he just kept going and grounded the ball.  This possibly showed up a flaw in Flashes tackling technique as really he should never have got there.  Second half saw the Saints come back though and with three fine tries they looked set.  5 minutes before the end more controversy however, as Agulla set off on a run, Murphy (who had appeared injured) got up and took out Fodes from behind.  Agulla was left unimpeded and scored for the Tigers to take the lead back, and so it ended.

Attendance 24,000

Referee Wayne Barnes

Leicester Tigers Scorecard

Penalty

Flood

11

Try

M Smith

20

Try

S Mafi

32

Conversion

Flood

33

Penalty

Flood

42

Try

Youngs

59

Try

Agulla

75

Conversion

Flood

77 

 

Northampton Saints Scorecard

Penalty

R Lamb

4

Penalty

R Lamb

35

Try

Ashton

44

Try

T May

63

Conversion

S Myler

63

Try

P Dowson

65

Conversion

S Myler

66