Tigers win Bokbuster

Welford Road - 06/11/09
Leicester Tigers 22, South Africa 17

WORLD Champions, Lions tamers, and Tri Nations winners of new, but South Africa were still overturned by a Tigers outfit missing their back row to international duty.

Admittedly under nourished themselves, the Springbok side did include the likes of Dannie Rossouw and Ruan Pienaar in their 22-17 loss against the England champions at Welford Road on Friday.

Pienaar broke the ice with a penalty early on and if Leicester weren’t already nervous at the prospect of facing the World Champs, a try soon after for the Springboks must’ve sent shivers down the Tigers’ defensive line.

Scott Hamilton will rue his poor judgement under a Pienaar high ball, South Africa then turned the rogue ball for Earl Rose to step up and deliver a sweet grubber kick through the Tiger home guard; Jongie Nokwe doing the honours over the whitewash 8 minutes in.

Leicester’s Ben Youngs then redeemed himself in front of goal after his poor opening effort, and as Leicester looked to gain territory with some good touch-finding from stand-in captain Aaron Mauger at ten, South Africa still never looked threatened.

They did lose their captain just before the quarter forcing a reshuffle in the front row, but expectations remained unchanged.

A break from Youngs was matched by the dancing counter of Rose after Tiger momentum was then stunted, but when Manu Tuilagi found himself in space on the left moments later, his step wide to draw the switch from winger Lucas Amorosino was readily received and jinked inside for a score under the posts from the scampering Argentine.

Youngs’ exuberance with the boot extended the Tigers lead on 32 minutes, and as the Leicester scrum began to rule over the number one side in the world, Youngs was handed the opportunity to topple another penalty from halfway.

Pienaar pulled three back just before the half but the Leicester scrum continued to dominate in the same vain following the break. Youngs finished his forwards effort with another strike, bisecting the posts to give the Tigers a healthy lead at 19-11 on 46 minutes.

A penalty to the corner from South Africa was nullified by the wily lineout jumping of Geoff Parling, but it was the forward effort in the loose that made most of the inroads for South Africa.

Sizable Ashley Johnson turned on the gas to make good ground from eight, although a Springbok pack – so strong on the floor the last time we saw them in the Lions Tour and Tri Nations competition – were drawn into a long kicking game as their hosts dominated at the breakdown.

George Chuter, relieved from international duty with England, was thrown in to conduct his side’s powerful scrum, and likewise Youngs kicked three more points.

A Pienaar show and go then moved Springboks closer to a much sought after try snuffed out by the impenetrable Welford Road outfit. Pienaar settled for three points after waters settled – sixteen minutes remained – eight points now the difference.

He then struck the uprights late on, then slotting the ball safely between them with a second attempt.

Leicester’s pack was then penalised for killing the play with seconds left. A try needed, Pienaar let rip for the corner; lineout was won and as the Spingboks inched their way closer to that objective, Leicester engulfed three more minutes of relentless pressure.

Patience fell, Johnson went wide failing to find his man, and Leicester relinquished the ball to their home stand faithful.