My most memorable games - part II
By Denise January 7 2003
The second of my most memorable games yet again involves Bristol and is the return match in the very same season 1999-2000. It was the last time Tigers got a W on the scoresheet at the Memorial Ground which has been an unhappy hunting ground for the boys in stripes over the last couple of seasons.
By Denise January 7 2003
The second of my most memorable games yet again involves Bristol and is the return match in the very same season 1999-2000. It was the last time Tigers got a W on the scoresheet at the Memorial Ground which has been an unhappy hunting ground for the boys in stripes over the last couple of seasons.
Just to take you back this was the season of the Rugby World Cup where Tigers had struggled at the start of the season whilst adapting to having the heart torn from the side. The youngsters to their credit bounced back from their two enormous away defeats to Saints and Glos to put Tigers in a position to win their second consecutive premiership trophy.
The fight for the ADP trophy in this year was one of the most thrilling with the old rivals Bath not far behind us, come the penultimate match of the season a loss away to Bristol would have set up an enormous winner-takes-all game at Welford Road between Leicester and Bath, however it was not to be...
The weather could not have been any better, there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Needless to say the crowds piled in early to soak up the sun. For an away game there certainly was a high proportion of Tigers supporters in the crowd. Thousands made the trip down to cheer the lads on, and loads of Bath supporters had come to offer their support to fellow west-country rivals.
One of the most memorable things about this game happened before most of the players were even on the pitch. Crowd favourite Dave 'Log' Lougheed had announced weeks before that he was to return home to Canada at the end of the season and he was keen to make the most of the time he had left with Leicester. Dave came out on his own to do a warm-up lap and was greeted with a standing ovation as he made his way around the ground. I have never seen anything like it before or since, he enjoyed it so much he did another lap!
The team came out and I remarked how nice Neil Back's hair was looking - a lot blonder and longer than I had ever seen it. The week after he had a skin-head and I didn't understand why until I read his autobiography, a stressful day for him by all accounts leading to the unusual sight of him with a cap on after the game.
Tigers took an early lead with two penalties from Stimmo, which was soon cancelled out by Henry Honniball. Geordan Murphy scored a nice try in the first half but come half time the game was still in the balance Bristol 9 Tigers 13. The second half provided one of the best dives for a try captured on film. Lewis Moody took his chance in style with a beautiful swan dive over the line. I think he hurt his back as a result but perhaps it was worth it. Bristol scored two tries and Tigers' Leon Lloyd also scored, the final score was 23-30, and Tigers had won the league for the second year in succession.
Needless to say the Tigers supporters in the crowd were ecstatic. Chants of Tigers Tigers and of course Deano Deano rang through the ground and there was probably a verse of "Are you watching Stuart Barnes" thrown in there as well as the game was being televised. The team collected the trophy and did a lap of honour, Deano even smiled. Dave Lougheed showed his appreciation for the crowd by jumping up onto a bit of wall and giving us all a clap, good old Dave.
There were rumours of Austin Healey and Bob Dwyer having a bit of a heated encounter after the game. Certainly some of the reporters ended up getting soaked by the jubilant Tigers. A great day that will live long in the memory, the first time I was actually at the game when they won the league and undoubtably the best to date.
Score: Bristol 23 - Leicester 30 (14-May-2000)
Bristol
1 Pablo Lemoine
2 Barry Williams
3 Paul Johnstone
4 Garath Archer
5 Andrew Sheridan
6 Matt Salter
7 Adam Vander
8 Dean Ryan (c)
9 Agustin Pichot
10 Henry Honiball
11 David Rees
12 Eduardo Simone
13 Matt Back
14 Spencer Brown
15 Lee Best
Leicester
1 Graham Rowntree
2 Richard Cockerill
3 Ricky Nebbett
4 Martin Johnson (c)
5 Fritz Van Heerden
6 Neil Back
7 Lewis Moody
8 Martin Corry
9 Jamie Hamilton
10 Austin Healey
11 Dave Lougheed
12 Pat Howard
13 Leon Lloyd
14 Geordan Murphy
15 Tim Stimpson
Attendance: 7775
Referee: Lander s
The fight for the ADP trophy in this year was one of the most thrilling with the old rivals Bath not far behind us, come the penultimate match of the season a loss away to Bristol would have set up an enormous winner-takes-all game at Welford Road between Leicester and Bath, however it was not to be...
The weather could not have been any better, there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Needless to say the crowds piled in early to soak up the sun. For an away game there certainly was a high proportion of Tigers supporters in the crowd. Thousands made the trip down to cheer the lads on, and loads of Bath supporters had come to offer their support to fellow west-country rivals.
One of the most memorable things about this game happened before most of the players were even on the pitch. Crowd favourite Dave 'Log' Lougheed had announced weeks before that he was to return home to Canada at the end of the season and he was keen to make the most of the time he had left with Leicester. Dave came out on his own to do a warm-up lap and was greeted with a standing ovation as he made his way around the ground. I have never seen anything like it before or since, he enjoyed it so much he did another lap!
The team came out and I remarked how nice Neil Back's hair was looking - a lot blonder and longer than I had ever seen it. The week after he had a skin-head and I didn't understand why until I read his autobiography, a stressful day for him by all accounts leading to the unusual sight of him with a cap on after the game.
Tigers took an early lead with two penalties from Stimmo, which was soon cancelled out by Henry Honniball. Geordan Murphy scored a nice try in the first half but come half time the game was still in the balance Bristol 9 Tigers 13. The second half provided one of the best dives for a try captured on film. Lewis Moody took his chance in style with a beautiful swan dive over the line. I think he hurt his back as a result but perhaps it was worth it. Bristol scored two tries and Tigers' Leon Lloyd also scored, the final score was 23-30, and Tigers had won the league for the second year in succession.
Needless to say the Tigers supporters in the crowd were ecstatic. Chants of Tigers Tigers and of course Deano Deano rang through the ground and there was probably a verse of "Are you watching Stuart Barnes" thrown in there as well as the game was being televised. The team collected the trophy and did a lap of honour, Deano even smiled. Dave Lougheed showed his appreciation for the crowd by jumping up onto a bit of wall and giving us all a clap, good old Dave.
There were rumours of Austin Healey and Bob Dwyer having a bit of a heated encounter after the game. Certainly some of the reporters ended up getting soaked by the jubilant Tigers. A great day that will live long in the memory, the first time I was actually at the game when they won the league and undoubtably the best to date.
Score: Bristol 23 - Leicester 30 (14-May-2000)
Bristol
1 Pablo Lemoine
2 Barry Williams
3 Paul Johnstone
4 Garath Archer
5 Andrew Sheridan
6 Matt Salter
7 Adam Vander
8 Dean Ryan (c)
9 Agustin Pichot
10 Henry Honiball
11 David Rees
12 Eduardo Simone
13 Matt Back
14 Spencer Brown
15 Lee Best
Leicester
1 Graham Rowntree
2 Richard Cockerill
3 Ricky Nebbett
4 Martin Johnson (c)
5 Fritz Van Heerden
6 Neil Back
7 Lewis Moody
8 Martin Corry
9 Jamie Hamilton
10 Austin Healey
11 Dave Lougheed
12 Pat Howard
13 Leon Lloyd
14 Geordan Murphy
15 Tim Stimpson
Attendance: 7775
Referee: Lander s
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