Leicester Tigers survive major scare to edge Bath
Leaders Leicester survived a major scare to record their first Gallagher Premiership victory at Bath for 11 years as Steve Borthwick’s team triumphed 24-20.
The Tigers had lost nine league games in a row at the Recreation Ground and they needed to dig deep before posting a 14th Premiership win from 16 starts this season.
Leicester trailed by six points at half-time against the Premiership’s bottom club, who were good value for their lead through tries from wing Will Muir, centre Max Ojomoh and back-row forward Josh Bayliss.
Fly-half Orlando Bailey added a penalty and conversion, but the Tigers were not to be denied as number eight Jasper Wiese, scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and fly-half Freddie Burns claimed touchdowns.
Burns also kicked three conversions, while full-back Bryce Hegarty booted a second-half penalty, with Leicester bossing the final quarter to deny Bath.
There was good news for Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, meanwhile, with Bath back-row forward Taulupe Faletau playing the whole game in just his second appearance since suffering an ankle injury seven months ago, and a Six Nations squad call-up seems likely ahead of next Saturday’s clash against England.
Danny Cipriani featured in Bath’s matchday 23 for the first time since early December after completing return-to-play protocols following concussion, while full-back Tom De Glanville also returned and wing Will Butt made only a second Premiership start.
Leicester had five England players absent due to Six Nations duty – Freddie Steward, George Ford, Ben Youngs, Ellis Genge and Ollie Chessum – with Wigglesworth captaining the team.
The Tigers displayed all the confidence of a team at the Premiership summit and they surged ahead after just six minutes.
Juggernaut wing Nemani Nadolo made a trademark burst that scattered Bath defenders and Wiese applied a short-range finish before Burns’ conversion made it 7-0.
It was an immediate setback for Bath, who were 47 points behind Leicester before kick-off, yet they responded impressively when scrum-half Ben Spencer’s accurately-placed kick allowed Muir to cross out wide.
Leicester, though, were in ruthless mood and centre Dan Kelly cut Bath’s defence open from their next attack, enabling Wigglesworth to mark his 311th Premiership appearance by touching down between the posts, and Burns converted.
Muir did not help Bath’s cause when he was yellow-carded by referee Karl Dickson for a dangerous aerial challenge on Tigers full-back Bryce Hegarty, although Bailey then cut the arrears to six points through a 30-metre penalty.
Bath now had the bit between their teeth and they conjured a second try 11 minutes before half-time when centre Jonathan Joseph kicked into space before his midfield partner Ojomoh finished off.
It was an ideal way for Ojomoh to celebrate signing a two-year contract extension earlier this week, but Bath were not finished and impressive work by De Glanville, allied to a superb Bayliss finish, put the home side 20-14 ahead.
Bayliss had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes, replacing number eight Nathan Hughes, who went off for a head injury assessment, yet Bath had turned the game on its head.
Leicester appeared shell-shocked by their hosts’ scoring burst and Bath preserved a deserved advantage at the interval.
The Tigers laid siege to Bath’s 22 after the break and they claimed a third try following relentless scrum pressure as space opened up, allowing Burns a simple run-in, before he added the conversion.
Hegarty then kicked a short-range penalty and it appeared as though Leicester head weathered the storm.
Bath took play back into the Tigers’ half, yet Leicester had an edge up-front and Cipriani was able to make little impact after going as a 65th-minute substitute.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments