Leicester demolish Worcester to confirm best Prem start since 1997
Leaders Leicester reeled off a fifth successive Gallagher Premiership victory of the season as they demolished Worcester 48-3 at Sixways. It confirmed Tigers’ best start to a Premiership campaign since the competition began in 1997. They opened up a seven-point gap on nearest rivals Harlequins, with Worcester being the latest team to witness at first hand Leicester’s continued resurgence under head coach Steve Borthwick.
The Tigers were home and dry by the interval following tries for wing Harry Potter, centre Matias Moroni and hooker Julian Montoya, leaving Worcester reeling. Fly-half George Ford underlined his claims for an England recall in Eddie Jones’ Autumn Nations Series squad that will be announced on Monday, impressing throughout and kicking a penalty and three conversions.
Former England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth scored a bonus-point try midway through the second period before hooker Nic Dolly claimed his fifth try of the season as Leicester ensured no let-up during the closing minutes. Wing Nemani Nadolo powered over and substitute Freddie Burns, who added two conversions, also crossed.
Beaten 42-5 by Exeter last weekend, Worcester were once again on the end of a major drubbing as they slumped to a fourth Premiership defeat on the bounce. England centre Ollie Lawrence clocked up 50 appearances for the Warriors, while head coach Jonathan Thomas made five changes from the side crushed by the Chiefs last weekend, including starts for full-back Harri Doel, scrum-half Will Chudley and flanker Sam Lewis.
Unbeaten Leicester included South African back-rowers Marco van Staden and Jasper Wiese and there was a place on the bench for 38-year-old Wigglesworth, who provided scrum-half cover. Leicester made the early running and Ford kicked them into a sixth-minute lead after Worcester infringed on the edge of their own 22.
"I ain’t going to Rotherham for love nor money"
– Andy Goode had told the latest edition of @TheRugbyPod about the tempestuous run-in he had with his then-agent when he was leaving Saracens in winter 2003 #Tigers #Sarries #Agents #GallagherPremhttps://t.co/OvRYg9aGGK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 12, 2021
The Warriors could make little impression on the contest and they fell further behind after 13 minutes following more strong work by Leicester’s pack. Worcester did well to defend an attacking lineout, but Potter then surged through a huge gap for a try that Ford converted and Tigers led 10-0. Billy Searle opened Worcester’s account through a long-range penalty, yet it proved only a temporary reprieve for the home side as the Leicester forwards again made hay in the sunshine. When the ball was moved wide, Ford’s neat pass sent Moroni through for his team’s second try that opened up a twelve-point gap midway through the second quarter.
Leicester had complete control of the game, pinning Worcester inside their own half for long periods, and a third try arrived before half-time when Montoya touched down and Ford added the extras. It gave the Tigers a 22-3 interval advantage and the second 40 minutes appeared to be nothing more than a damage-limitation exercise for Worcester after being physically dominated and tactically out-thought.
Leicester full-back Freddie Steward made a searing break shortly after half-time that should have led to a try, but Worcester escaped and then enjoyed a good spell of pressure inside Tigers’ 22 either side of Warriors hooker Scott Baldwin briefly going off injured. Referee Luke Pearce then ran out of patience with repeated Leicester infringing and Tigers flanker Hanro Liebenberg was yellow-carded.
It made little difference to the overall picture, though, and Tigers claimed a fourth touch down after superb approach work by Nadolo that allowed Wigglesworth a clear run to the line. Ford converted, and Leicester should have gone past 30 points when Steward crossed, but the try was disallowed following a neck grab by van Staden. Dolly soon resumed normal service, though, and there was time for Nadolo to claim try number six, with Worcester desperate to hear the referee’s final whistle as Burns dived over.
Jonathan Thomas has made a startling 'complacency' claim about his Worcester team even though they have won only one on-field Premiership match since last November ?#Warriors #PremRugby #EXEvWORhttps://t.co/o4pPvw2bqt
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 9, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments