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Ellis Genge ran riot as Leicester dealt Harlequins’ Gallagher Premiership play-off hopes a setback by winning 35-29 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. England and Tigers prop Genge, an unlucky omission from the British and Irish Lions’ South Africa tour squad, scored two tries as Tigers warmed up for next Friday’s European Challenge Cup final against Montpellier by claiming a bonus-point win.
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He was also yellow-carded, with Leicester briefly down to 13 men during the first half, but Genge’s blistering performance epitomised a physical and purposeful Tigers display. Quins still hold the fourth and final playoff spot, but Northampton could reduce the gap if they beat Newcastle on Monday.
With Genge leading from the front, the Tigers surged clear by half-time through his double, plus tries by centre Matt Scott and hooker Tom Youngs. Fly-half George Ford kicked two penalties and three conversions, while Harlequins gained a penalty try and wings Nathan Earle (two) and Joe Marchant also scored, along with centre Luke Northmore.
Marcus Smith added a conversion but missed three and while Harlequins finished with two bonus points, a late Zack Henry penalty sealed Leicester’s victory despite a strong finish from the visitors. It was an afternoon when Quins’ vaunted half-backs Smith and Danny Care made little impression as Tigers confirmed promising progress is being made under head coach Steve Borthwick.
Leicester made a number of changes from the side beaten by Sale Sharks last time out, including returns for captain Tom Youngs, No8 Jasper Wiese and full-back Freddie Steward. Quins, meanwhile, were without suspended full-back Mike Brown so Tyrone Green wore the number 15 shirt, centre Marchant moved to the wing and James Lang started in midfield.
The Leicester and England prop had an eventful first half against Harlequins #LEIvHAR
https://t.co/YfeN0sn5EL— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 15, 2021
Leicester, seeking to end a run of three Premiership defeats, flew out of the blocks and were ahead after just five minutes. Wings Nemani Nadolo and Guy Porter gained initial territory before Ford delivered a sweetly-timed pass to Scott, whose attacking angle did for Quins’ defence, with Ford’s conversion making it 7-0. Leicester doubled their advantage just four minutes later after Genge took a quick penalty and crashed over Quins’ line from close range, and another Ford conversion left the visitors facing some early soul-searching.
But their response was impressive, as slick handling between Green and Marchant worked sufficient room for Earle to touch down and open Quins’ account. The Leicester forwards, though, were relishing their work, and when they drove a short-range lineout won by flanker George Martin, skipper Youngs finished off for Tigers’ third try.
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Ford again converted, yet back came Quins, laying siege to Leicester’s line following a powerful lineout surge, and referee Luke Pearce ruled that Tigers deliberately collapsed the maul, awarding a penalty try. Leicester prop Dan Cole was sin-binned as a result, then Genge followed him following an illegal clear-out at a ruck.
Earle had been sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, only to then rejoin the action, with his yellow card not standing as Genge’s offence was earlier in the same play. And there was no stopping Genge, who scored his second try just four minutes after going on. It was the final play of an eventful first half, with Leicester securing a 29-12 interval lead and collecting a try bonus point.
A second Ford penalty took Leicester past 30 points, but Harlequins replied when Smith’s kick gave Marchant an easy finish for a converted try and then Earle was sent over for his second try with nine minutes left before Northmore crossed. But Leicester had done enough, and they will head into their first European final for twelve years on a high.
The explanation that Mike Brown provided at his hearing over stamp on Tommy Taylor… and the social media rebuke issued in is defence by the man who banned him for six weekshttps://t.co/isC2Rl7AZH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 15, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
anybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
3 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
32 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
9 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
9 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
32 Go to commentsGood option for the lineout lost there.
1 Go to commentsIt’s not like Saffas have a long history of spouting absolute shite at any & every occasion. Oh wait… The dangers of an inferior third world education strike again.
32 Go to commentsI’m so glad we’re revisiting this. Really needs to be dissected further. I’m also so glad that a guy in the stands who wasn’t anywhere near the field when any of it would have been said (and even confirms this) has taken the lead and commented as Ireland. Definitely cleared it all up. This article would be hilarious if it wasn’t so misleading.
32 Go to commentsits such a shame he hasn’t achieved more success at club level. He’s really not been a potent finisher for a while now, but he’s still excellent in the kick chase. That’s the kind of skillset that generally only gets appreciated when you’re playing in premiership and european finals. I’m not sure whether the challenge cup counts given the quality of the competition seems lower than in previous years, but his duel with Mapimpi should be enthralling.
1 Go to commentsThe point is the irish players were arrogant,call it like you want sugar coat it aswell but they were you could see it in their way they handeled themselfs on the field when they got something right so dont tell me it was not arrogance it was,you can fool other people but not me,and to say to one of our players see you in the final put a nail in the coffin for this bullsh@t,just be grown men and accept it that you were arrogant,you could if seen it from a mile away, and then you lost to the allblacks what a cocky move that didnt work out for you ,Eben was right when he said u were arrogant,the point is you will deny it because you lost it all just grow some balls and move on we had won you lost accept it.
32 Go to comments“summer tour of North and South America” so its a summer tour of america?
1 Go to commentsEverybody is giving the Irish players the benefit of the doubt in ‘what they meant’, but none of these pundits or commentators offer the same courtesy to Eben. I don’t think Eben went, 1, 2, 3… etc. What might have happened is he didn’t count and when the 3rd or 5th guy said he went, hang on why are so many of them saying this… and then started to concentrate on it more and more as players continue to say it. So no, he didn’t count it, he realised many Irish players said it and made an assumption based on that… The Irish team was VERY confident at the time and I do believe they believed they were going to win the World Cup, which borders a bit on the arrogant side…
32 Go to commentsI can see how some of the Irish players would have said”see you in the final” as a gentle comment after a victory. It’s open to interpretation but it’s clumsy language. I don’t know the fella but I assure you Eben doesn’t have an axe to grind with Ireland. He has never been the media seeking pro. Oh and BTW it is I’ll be our winter in July so won’t be wet.
32 Go to comments*McCloskey*: _I saw this clip. Like, I wasn’t playing that game; I was in the stands…so you don't know sh!t in other words, infact you know just as much as Goode on this matter. I will believe the guy who was on the pitch when things were said as appose to two people speculating over what was said._
32 Go to comments@ turlough dream on buddy. Your boys are in for one tough time down in sa this summer…
32 Go to commentsI think Goode is looking to establish a platform for himself. Eben said “Probably” so that suggests he wasn’t counting. It’s an estimate Goode. I think even with your short and uneventful experience with the Sharks you probably realise winding up Saffas will get you some airtime. It’s a none event. Move on
32 Go to commentsRugby has never been as structured and synthetically pleasing as it is at this moment. The game is simply beautiful and messing with it too much will ruin it for everyone. I can't help but feel that over the past decade or so many rules have been changed to accommodate a certain hemisphere and counter another. Perhaps I am wrong but I somehow don’t think so.
2 Go to commentsNoted some excellent defensive steals from the Rebs last week against the Reds, largely J Canham, I think. It’s not a Rolls Royce but they are a real threat with their defensive line out at the beginning matches. What do you make of Canham Nick, WBs squad material?
86 Go to comments