Tigers? Pahh!

Hen’s teeth: Leicester 19 London Irish 20

 

Watch a London Irish win at Welford Road? Been there, seen that, done it!!!!!!!!

 

We arrived at the ground in good time and, although an exploratory call to the coach confirmed that we were missing some serious partying, we were made very welcome by the Tiggers fans already at the ground.

 

We staked our claim on the Crumbly Terracing, fortified with hot beef rolls and AG and began to assemble a knot of visiting supporters. Eventually the Craic Academy were persuaded that even they could have too much of a good thing and, lured by promises of hot food and cold Guinness, they made their way from the coach. While the team engaged in their warm up, the rapidly expanding greenery on the terrace began the serious business of balloon inflating, flag erecting and protecting themselves against any risk of developing an iron deficiency.

 

As the team began their jog around the pitch the travellers gave them the now customary cheers, drums and applause (alright, it may not be of Glawster proportions but its getting better). It was interesting to see the player’s reactions. Some like Tofty, Beefy and Big Bob grin back, others look like they don’t quite know what to make of the spectacle.         

 

 Anyway, with the warm ups completed it was time for the match to begin.

 

Surrendering possession at the kick off Oirish were under some early pressure, relieved by two steals on the first two Leicester line outs. Nevertheless most of the play in the opening minutes was concentrated in the Oirish half. The Oirish defence was coping well until a turnover around the 10-metre line allowed Leicester to set up Tim Stimpson for a successful sprint to the line. Still using the same kicking boots as he had against Munster, Stimpson pushed his conversion attempt across the face of the posts. So with 5 minutes played Oirish found themselves 5 – 0 down.

 

However, Oirish now began to hint that they were up for this game. In particular it was clear that Tofty was bringing a crispness and confidence to the decision making at fly half and the players outside him began to blossom.

 

With the Oirish forwards securing clean ball, a combination of astute chips and flat passes at speed was creating uncertainty in the Leicester back line. Geared up to charge upfield in a flat line, they suddenly found themselves continually having to turn back towards their own line. Under this pressure Tiggers conceded a penalty. Tofty surveyed the scene, tested the wind, went to his bag for the 9 Iron and chipped over a beauty from half way. 5 – 3 and game on.

 

Leicester attacked again, using the inside pass to a charging Stimpson or Murphy to counteract the ‘banana defence’. From one such play, only a last ditch tackle by Paul Sackey on a rampaging Geordan Murphy prevented another Tiggers score. While Stimpson pushed a limp drop goal attempt wide, Tofty continued to probe the Tiggers defence and the whole Oirish team continued to give as good as they got. The loss of Rob Hardwick through injury did not disrupt things as Simon Halford came on to deliver a big performance as his replacement.  

 

Then came one of the game’s highlights as Rob Hoadley cleared out a lurking Martin Johnson at a ruck – the big man looked astonished. This incident, and one in the second half when he did the same to Darren Garforth, epitomised Rob’s performance throughout, aggression channelled (at last) in the right place.

 

With 19 minutes gone Oirish pressure was rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts that Tofty duly dispatched to put Oirish in the lead at 6 – 5. Four minutes later a beauty from the left hand touch line pushed Oirish further ahead at 9 –5 and the belief among the assembled throng on the terraces began to grow. Five minutes later it was 12 – 5 as Oirish pressure gave Tofty another successful pot shot.

 

Tiggers responded by kicking a penalty to the corner and we waited for the Leicester rolling maul. However a combination of stout defence and missing personnel meant that the maul never got going. Leicester recycled to ball and pressed towards the line in front of the posts. The ball went to ground and although Leicester appeared to have turned the ball over, Mr Pearson, on the blind side awarded them an attacking scrum. A slick back-field move saw an inside pass cut out Paul Sackey as he came up on the ‘banana’. Although the cover tried to get across, the numbers out wide allowed Holtby to touch down in the corner. Stimpson again failed with the conversion and the scores had narrowed to 12 – 10 in Oirish’s favour.

 

Then, in first half stoppage time, came The Moment. A charge down the right wing by Paul Sckey was halted and Tiggers recovered the ball, only for an appalling clearance kick to pick out Chris O’Sheasby in midfield with numbers outside. He charged forward before the ball was shipped left. For a moment it looked like a repeat of the numerous misses against Sarries and Leeds as dodgy passes appeared to spoil the overlap. However Kevin Barrett cut back inside and kept the ball alive for Mike Worsley to reach over the line and touch down. Although Tofty missed the conversion the travellers were more than happy to settle for a 17 – 10 half time lead. Unfortunately, from the re-start Leicester recovered the ball and Geordan Murphy slotted a drop goal from the half way line. Moments latter the half ended with the score:

 

Leicester 13 London Irish 17  

 

The second half was all about emotion, commitment and desire.

 

Five minutes into the half Chris O’Sheasby was penalised for his Sean Fitzpatrick-like appearance at the back of a Leicester ruck and Stimpson slotted from in front. 17 – 16 and on the Terrace things were starting to get tense.

 

With Beefy on for Mike Worsly, Oirish continued to put the Tiggers under pressure. Time and again astute kicks from Tofty, Michael Horak and Hentie had the Leicester backs running towards their own line. From one such kick and chase Orac was agonisingly close to a touch down as the Leicester defence dithered.

 

The forwards continued to compete for every ball and make every tackle while the backs hounded the Leicester midfield, aided by an indecisive fly-half, a contact-fixated Tuilagi and a static Leon Lloyd.

 

Leicester tried to raise their game, aided by some bizarre decisions from Mr Pearson (eg penalty against Irish for offside at a ruck – the only trouble was that when the ruck got to its feet the only participants were all Leicester players!). From one such decision Stimpson was invited to try his luck from 35 metres but continued with his rich run of non-form and the score remained stuck at 17 -16.

 

Then with 18 minutes gone a mix up in the Irish back line saw two Oirish and one Leicester player arrive simultaneously onto a pass from Hentie. Rather harshly Mr Pearson awarded a penalty for crossing (accidental offside looked the more likely offence) and Stimpson converted the kick to push Tiggers ahead for the first time in nearly an hour.

 

Oirish responded by raising the tempo of their game. They pushed Leicester back into their own half and then with 26 minutes gone came the decisive moment of the match. For reasons known only to himself, Tuilagi piled over the top of a ruck to leave Tofty with a 35metre kick in front to the posts. Mr Cool did his stuff and we had a precious lead at 20 – 19.

 

For the neutral observer the next 18 minutes were scoreless. For the committed Oirish supporter they were a mixture of tension, relief, excitement, and dread - in a word, emotion.

 

For much of this time Oirish played a canny controlled game, forcing Tiggers to try and play from their own 22. From one such period of pressure Tofty scuffed an attempted drop goal wide.

 

By now Tiggers were anxious and, in trying to make something happen, Stimpson launched an ambitious kick to the wing across his 22. Paul Sackey read the play and leapt to catch the ball with the try line beckoning. He caught the ball in mid air, but his legs caught (accidentally) on the shoulder of the intended recipient and he crashed to the floor. From where we were it did not look like the Leicester player had actually jumped for the ball and a howl went up for a penalty. Mr Pearson decided otherwise, and then penalised Paul for holding-on as he lay isolated on the ground.  Was Paul deliberately taken out? Emphatically no. Would he have scored if his legs had not been taken away? Emphatically yes. One of those occasions where a referee is always going to get stick no matter what he decides.

 

And so into stoppage time. Tiggers forced their way into the Oirish half. The ball was fed back to Geordan Murphy for a drop goal. A moment before his foot made contact with the ball he must have caught sight of a supercharged Tofty hurling himself in a horizontal dive to block the kick. In trying to adjust, Murphy succeeded only in hooking the ball hideously along the ground.

 

There was still time for one more moment of drama as Harry Ellis attempted a hurried drop goal from the base of a ruck. The ball blooped short of the cross bar and Hentie ran the clock down behind the goal line. As he touched down Mr Pearson blew for the end of the match and an attack of mass hugging broke out on the Terrace and on the pitch. We had won at Welford Road!!!!!

 

Final Score: Leicester Tigers 19 London Irish 20

 

Summary and assorted comments:

 

1)     A big performance from everyone that must be repeated next week.

 

2)     When it came to the crunch a number of players showed that they had the balls to stand up and be counted. Tofty was superb and is my Man of the Match for the decisiveness with which he controlled our possession. However Performance of the Match for me was Adrian Flavin. I honestly did not know whether he had it in him to play as well as he did yesterday. In this game he showed what he can do if he backs himself to play in the right areas of the pitch  – and hopefully he will now go on to do that every time he plays.

 

3)     But in truth every one who played yesterday was a hero. There can be no complaints about anyone’s commitment, attitude, or desire. But please, please, please make sure we have more of the same next week.

 

 

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