By Mike Hill
June 1 2003

Fereti Tuilagi turned in a five star performance as Tigers clinched the final European place with a stunning extra time victory. In a pulsating encounter it was none other than perennial Mr Cool Neil Back that scored the winning try to give Leicester a 27 - 20 final score. Despite having superior possession and a definite advantage up front Tigers made heavy work of this fixture once again committing too many unforced errors. That said the passion and will to win is most certainly back with the recent upturn in performance during the Wildcard play off's.

On a boiling hot afternoon tempers were frayed and this was another typically fractious encounter between the two sides. They seem to bring the best and worst out of each other always producing exciting yet violent affairs. Having beaten Saracens twice already this year Tigers knew how to win this game by playing a tight driving game. Saracens however preferred to use Goode's boot to kick for territory.

That doesn't sound like a recipe for an exciting game but neither side could execute their plan very well and often the game went loose bringing Tuilagi and Houghton into the fray. Tigers made a bad start when moments after Stimpson had slotted a penalty a stray tap from a 5m lineout led to Richard Hill being first to pounce on the bouncing ball. Goode converted and a further penalty gave Saracens a 10 - 3 lead. Stimpson clawed Tigers back into the game with two penalties one from 52 metres.

As Leicester pressed for a try just before half time we twice crossed the line only to be pulled back each time. The first incident saw a strong run from Wiggy set up Holtby who supposedly knocked on under close attention from Richard Hill before he received the ball. The video seems to show John kicking the ball on for Gelderbloom to score. The second was even more controversial with Ellis rounding a close scrum to run through unopposed only for referee Roy Maybank to penalise Peter Short for an innocuous shirt pull.

Unfortunately that decision was merely the icing on the cake of the worst refereeing performance I have seen in years. Roy seemed totally unaware of the off side laws and failed to penalise either side for repeatedly killing the ball. Since we had more possession it was Saracens that were most guilty but both sides soon realised Maybank was all talk when it came to sin binning persistent offenders.

After half time Tigers finally breached the Saracens defence when Dorian West rumbled over from a catch and drive. Stimpson missed the conversion but McMullen slotted a neat drop goal minutes later to give Tigers a seven point lead. This they held until injury time when Richard Haughton screamed through a disorganised defence to hand Saracens a life line that Andy Goode promptly secured with the conversion to bring the scores level once more.

It was not over yet by a long way, first intense pressure on the Saracens line yielded a simple penalty that Stimpson kicked before Ben Kay was penalised for a foolish block at the ensuing restart. Goode then keeps his nerve to take the game into extra time with the scores tied at 20 - 20.

With Tigers letting a lead slip away twice it was probably Saracens that started extra time feeling more confident and Tigers failed to make an impact in the first ten minute period. Both teams looked to be wilting in the heat but it was Leicester that raised their game for one final surge in the second period. With Tuilagi smashing holes everywhere and the back three finally finding some space Tigers had their tails up and gradually fought their way into the Saracens 22.

Tigers kept applying the pressure and finally the Watford side cracked as Neil Back cleverly dummied and spun around a weak tackle before diving over to score his 108th try for Leicester and probably one of the most important in his glorious career.

Another great Leicester servant Darren Garforth said his final goodbye (again!) and it was fitting that he bowed out with a win. Darren has contributed as much as anyone to the phenomenal success of the last few years. With two European Cup, two domestic cup and five league championship medals to his name he has enough gold to start a new career as a Mr T impersonator.

Man of the Match this week has to go to Freddie Tuilagi for an outstanding performance but there were a lot of others hot on his heels. Ellis enjoyed one of his best games at nine and Johnson and Back were typically immense. West and Rowntree are once more hitting top form and John Holtby ran well and kept the dangerous Haughton on a leash for most of the game.

All in all a good end to a difficult season and importantly European Cup rugby is back at Welford Road next year. See you next season.