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Phipps and Naholo star as London Irish thump Leicester Tigers

By Online Editors
Nick Phipps

A thoroughly dominant display by Premiership new-boys London Irish delivered a valuable 36-11 bonus-point win over Leicester Tigers at the Madejski Stadium.

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The points came from everywhere for the Exiles, with Oli Hoskins, wing Ben Loader and Ruan Botha getting over in the first half and Stephen Myler adding seven points with the boot.

Tigers had two first-half penalties to show for their efforts and got a late score for Jonah Holmes, but Irish continued to run riot after the break as Waisake Naholo and Tom Parton secured the five-point victory.

Hoskins got the first after just eight minutes as he took the ball off the back of a rolling maul and burrowed over from close range.

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A Tom Hardwick penalty got the visitors on the board after 15 minutes, but Irish had their second try at the quarter-way point, Loader taking the ball from 22 metres out and touching down despite a last-gasp attempt to hold him up.

Both sides struggled to create further opportunities before the break but after Myler added three points with a penalty, a terrific breakaway score for the hosts on the stroke of half-time was capped off by Botha for a 22-6 lead.

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

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The Tigers started the second half the better of the two sides but could not make their dominance count, best exemplified when Hardwick’s pass sailed way behind Adam Thompstone as opportunity knocked.

Leicester’s best chance came as Hardwick made a great line-breaking run and offloaded inside to Noel Reid, but with the line at his mercy he just could not hold onto the ball and the knock-on cost a valuable opportunity.

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

The hosts put the game out of reach with just over 15 minutes to go as fly-half Myler showed great awareness and creativity to kick the ball out to the right wing where the onrushing Naholo got the benefit of the bounce.

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The New Zealand international, on his first appearance for Irish, just about kept his feet away from the touchline before barrelling over his opposite number to score in the corner.

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

Leicester pushed for a late consolation but a knock-on allowed Parton to scoop up the ball and sprint from inside his 22 to score under the posts and seal the bonus point.

Holmes would get a late try as the clock turned red but it was far too little too late for Tigers, who finish the weekend bottom of the Gallagher Premiership after Bath’s victory over Northampton Saints.

The match in pictures:

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

London Irish v Leicester Tigers - Gallagher Premiership - Madejski Stadium

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M
Mzilikazi 22 minutes ago
How England reverse-engineered unlikely attacking change

Thanks, Nick, not only for this fine article, but for all the others during 6N 2024. I really enjoyed this 2024 tournament, and felt it was one of the best for many years. That final match in Lyons was really good. England were certainly unlucky when that speculative hack by Ramos lead to a French try. It could just so easily have landed in English hand.s, and they score at the other end. I did think though that the French played some great rugby, and some of their driving play in the forwards was just fearsome. I watched Meafou with interest, and he has a good start to his career. It is interesting to compare him with Will Skelton. Lot of similarities, though so far Meafou has not shown any offloading threat. All credit to Borthwick for being prepared to change, and what great result, even if that last game was lost at the death. I feel they are a real chance to cause the AB’s problems this winter/summer. Finally a comment on Ireland. I thought their last game was their worst, and they did not look like the world’s No 2 side at all. What really worries me is that the loss to England was, in my view, down to poor decision making by the coaching group, and ofc Andy Farrell wears that. It was a big mistake to move JGP away from scrum half. Murray should have been the one to go to the wing. And the “finishers” should have been on the field earlier. And this is the second time this has happened. The RWC Qf against the AB’s, and not getting Crowley onto the field was a huge mistake. Finally, finally, watching Italy play was a joy. How wonderful that they are no longer the punchbag of the 6 N.

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