Tigers Polish Off Some Irish Stout


LI away 2005

By TigerR
September 21 2004

On Sunday I got my first glimpse of the 2004/5 Leicester Tigers. This vintage is recognisably related to the draught that finished 2003-4 in splendid fashion. The forward dominance was there as well as the cutting edge to turn possession into tries.



However there are two other ingredients visible to me: The grit and professionalism of Wells/Johnson/Back and the heads up risk taking of Pat Howard.

The grit included some professional fouls that may have prevented tries from Irish and which rightly punished by yellow cards by the referee. It also included rolling mauls and pick and drive forward surges that drained the Irish pack.

The risk taking saw the Tigers backs at times lose many yards of territory but also cut the Irish defence to ribbons resulting in five tries from Martin Corry, Seru Rabeni, Brett Deacon, Austin Healey and Andy Goode, a win and a bonus point for Tigers.

Jonno Pass

The win lifts Tigers to fifth in the table and on the same number of points as local rivals and Tigers' next opponents, Northampton. However, before we get too carried away, it is best to reflect on the deflating fact that Irish have failed to win at home for seven league matches.


Tigers got of to a dream start scoring a try with less than a minute on the clock. Irish No.8 Kieran Roche dropped the kick-off and, from quick ruck ball, Geordan Murphy cleverly put Martin Corry through for a terrific score, which Goode converted. Leicester scored another try within ten minutes of the start while Martin Johnson was in the bin, the forwards taking one against the head at a scrum near the Irish line and Goode putting Rabeni over for his second try for the club.

MRLI kick

 If, however, Tigers hoped this dream start would discourage the London Irish, they were wrong. In a fast, furious first half the Exiles pressed Tigers back through clever kicks and superiority in the lineout. The right boot of fly-half Barry Everitt punished Tigers' many indiscretions by slotting five penalties from five attempts to give the Irish a lead of 15-12.

At this point I was concerned. Daryl Gibson and Austin Healey had to make fabulous last-ditch tackles on Paul Sackey and Delon Armitage respectively. The shape of Tigers defence made it plain to me that they feared the pace of Sackey. Quite right too.

Then Tigers' risk taking led to a third try. Murphy fastened on to an Irish clearance, countered and chipped brilliantly before Brett Deacon, who had an excellent half, picked up at the ruck and dived over, which allowed Tigers to leave the field at half-time 15-19 up.
MRLI Murph run
MRLI Goode try
The second half began well when Goode, after great work by Gibson, made no mistake with a penalty from in front of the posts 12 minutes after the interval. Andy's afternoon got even better just past the hour as he started and finished a move which ended with him darting between two players and stretching for a try near the posts which he then converted; thus was the bonus point secured.

However, before the Tigers fans in the ground had a chance to get comfortable, Irish took advantage of a missed tackle by Rabeni at the other end when Australian winger Scott Staniforth was awarded a try with the near perfect Everitt adding the conversion.


The Irish crowd started to get into the game. Their joy, and my anxiety, lasted for five long minutes and then, after a line-out and drive, Harry Ellis made a searing break and Neil Back put Austin Healey over for a game clinching try which Goode converted. Goode added a penalty for before departing with a serious looking leg injury which he had tried to shake off.


MRLI Austin try
This was an abrasive match with three Tigers picking up bad knocks: Goode, Gibson and Deacon (B).


Teams:

London Irish:

Armitage; Sackey, Appleford, Catt, Staniforth; Everitt, Edwards; Hatley, Flavin, Hardwick; Kennedy, Casey, Strudwick, Dawson, Roche.
Replacements: Durant, Paice, Danaher, Murphy, Mordt, Hodgson, Mapletoft.

Leicester:

Murphy, Healey, Lloyd, Gibson, Rabeni; Goode, Ellis; Rowntree, Chuter, White, M Johnson (c), L Deacon, B Deacon, Back, Corry.
Replacements: Buckland, Morris, Kay, Abraham, H Tuilagi, Bemand, A Tuilagi

Crowd 9000+


Final score:
MRLI score

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