Aviva Premiership: Gloucester v Leicester Tigers full-time report

Gloucester

Gloucester 27 Leicester Tigers 21

Gloucester kept their up pursuit on the leaders of the Aviva Premiership by showing great character to see off Leicester Tigers 27-21.

The hosts got off to the perfect start when Charlie Sharples crossed over with the first attack of the game.

After a penalty apiece, Tigers centre Scott Hamilton crossed the line to reduce the deficit in the 13th minute. Freddie Burns hit back for the home side after latching on to a wonderful chip behind the Tigers defence.

Akapusi Qera crossed over to seemingly make the game safe for Gloucester but Leicester closed the gap with 18 minutes to go with a penalty try. But try as they might they couldn’t quite find the final push to steal the points.

It took just the hosts just 45 seconds to take the lead after Sharples crossed the whitewash after Freddie Burns put through a wonderful grubber kick. Burns and Toby Flood then exchanged two well take penalties before the Tigers drew level with an excellent score. Manu Tuilagi did the hard work in the midfield before Hamilton showed great strength to hold two challengers in the corner. Burns then again planted a brilliant penalty over from the touchline.

The fly-half wasn’t done there, however, as he then danced around the Tigers defence before chipping and collecting his kick under the posts.

A Flood penalty ensured Leicester trailed only 17-11 at the break.
But the hosts came out firing in the second period and some quick feet from James Simpson-Daniel on the wing produced the platform for Qera to crash over on 52 minutes.

The game looked in complete control of the Red and Whites until they passed the initiative back to their opponents with 20 minutes to play as Gloucester duo Jimmy Cowan and Rob Cook were both yellow-carded for intentional off-side and deliberately fouling.

A penalty try followed from the Tigers, reducing the points tally to six, but despite wave after wave of Tigers attack in the last 10 minutes they couldn’t quite find a way over the Gloucester try-line.

This win now means they are now up to second in table after Saracens pulled clear at the top of the table.

Lewis Jones

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