Leicester fight back from 11-point deficit to break 12-year hoodoo
Leicester reached a first European final for 12 years as they claimed an impressive 33-24 Challenge Cup victory over Ulster at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Tigers wiped out an 11-point interval deficit to book a place against Bath or Montpellier in the Twickenham final on May 21 after England fly-half George Ford ran the show.
For half the contest, it looked like Leicester would go the same way as Harlequins and Northampton as Ulster chased a hat-trick of wins against Gallagher Premiership clubs in Europe this season.
But with British and Irish Lions assistant coaches Gregor Townsend and Steve Tandy conducting a watching brief ahead of next Thursday’s South Africa tour squad announcement, Leicester rallied brilliantly.
Ford kicked 18 points from a drop-goal, three penalties and three conversions, while Tigers’ England prop Ellis Genge, South African number eight Jasper Wiese and wing Guy Porter scored tries.
Ulster claimed touchdowns from skipper Iain Henderson, fly-half Billy Burns and number eight Nick Timoney, plus a Michael Lowry conversion and two conversions and a penalty by scrum-half John Cooney, but Leicester prevailed and booked a first European final appearance since being beaten by Heineken Cup opponents Leinster in 2009.
Richard Wigglesworth was handed the starting scrum-half spot for Leicester ahead of Ben Youngs, while George Martin returned at blindside flanker and Fiji international wing Nemani Nadolo also started.
Ulster showed five changes from the team that faced Rainbow Cup opponents Connacht last Friday, with centre Stuart McCloskey, prop Marty Moore and flanker Jordi Murphy among those called up.
The visitors dominated early possession and territory, but they then conceded two quickfire penalties inside their own half, with Ford accepting his second opportunity and nudging Leicester ahead.
Cooney, though, soon replied for Ulster, and Leicester found themselves pinned in their own 22 as wing Robert Baloucoune dived over in the corner, but the try was disallowed following a knock-on by Timoney.
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Ulster only had to wait another three minutes for an opening touchdown, though, and it arrived after Tigers skipper Tom Youngs was sin-binned for a technical infringement.
The Ulster forwards laid siege to Leicester’s line, and Henderson smashed his way across, claiming a try that Cooney converted for an early 10-3 lead.
An impressive long-range penalty by Ford cut Leicester’s deficit, yet Tigers’ optimism proved short-lived as Ulster carved them open for a second try after 22 minutes.
This time, Burns was the beneficiary of outstanding work by Ulster’s pack, cutting a delicious attacking angle to score, before Cooney again converted.
Leicester responded with a spell in Ulster’s 22 as the first half drew to a close, but Ulster were full value for an 11-point interval lead.
Cooney went off early in the second period following a collision with Nadolo, and his departure understandably rocked Ulster, with Leicester scoring a try just two minutes after he exited the contest as Wiese touched down and Ford converted.
It was just what the Tigers needed, and when Ford completed his penalty hat-trick shortly afterwards, they found themselves just a point adrift.
Ulster could not handle Leicester’s ferocity, and they fell behind when Genge scored a 54th-minute try that Ford converted from the touchline, then Ford’s drop-goal afforded Tigers a degree of breathing space.
But Ulster hit back through a fine try from Timoney, converted by Lowry, to set up a tense finish, before Porter’s score calmed the nerves and took Tigers to Twickenham.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen 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.
30 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.
9 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.
30 Go to comments