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The GP Match Report Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Bullitt" data-source="post: 69530"><p><strong>Tigers roar into ***le final</strong></p><p></p><p><img src="http://home.skysports.com/images/sports/Leicester/ellis_surge.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Leicester Tigers kept their unbeaten home record intact to thrash London Irish 40-8 and book a Premiership final date with Sale Sharks.</p><p></p><p>The four-time champions produced a thoroughly professional display to dominate their dangerous counterparts, and they pressed home their superiority with tries from Alesana Tuilagi, Harry Ellis, Leon Lloyd (2) and Geordan Murphy.</p><p></p><p>Irish were never able to get their dangerous counter-attacking style going, and a semi-final against the highly experienced Tigers simply proved to be a step too far after a campaign that has already surpassed all expectations.</p><p></p><p>Having won nine of their last 10 games, the Exiles were very much the form team going into the contest, but they faced the daunting task of winning at fortress Welford Road, something no side had done in the Premiership all season.</p><p>Leicester have suffered plenty of knock-out heartache this season, losing to Wasps in the Powergen Cup semi-final before being dumped out of the Heineken Cup at the hands of Bath.</p><p></p><p>However, Pat Howard's man arrived at their home ground in determined fashion, intent on making sure they would not suffer a hat-trick of big-game failures.</p><p></p><p>The match had been billed as a clash between Leicester's power and the Exiles' speed and thrust, yet the opening exchanges proved quite the opposite.</p><p></p><p>Daryl Gibson began to justify his selection after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, taking the attack to the heart of the visitors' defence from the off, and Andy Goode benefited with the first three points of the afternoon.</p><p></p><p>Irish seemed content to close the game down early on, but the indiscipline of scrum half Paul Hodgson soon opened it up, as he received 10 minutes in the bin for a stamp on the head of opposite number Ellis.</p><p></p><p>Leicester wasted no time in making their advantage pay, peppering the blindside to force Tuilagi in at the left corner. Goode's super conversion from the touchline extended the lead to 10-0.</p><p></p><p>However, Brian Smith's Irish side have played with an unshakable belief all season, and they did well to stabilise matters before hauling themselves back into the contest on 25 minutes.</p><p></p><p>First Ben Kay saw yellow for persistent infringement at the ruck, and then the Exiles quickly used the lock's absence to win the line-out and set up Olivier Magne for the try - thanks to some dynamic running from Dominic Feaunati.</p><p></p><p>Back came Leicester in an increasingly absorbing first half, and cue a stunned silence as wing sensation Tom Varndell failed to convert from five yards, due to the impressive defensive work of Sailosi Tagicakibau.</p><p></p><p>The Tigers' fans did not have to wait long for their second try though, and it was Varndell's fellow England colleague Ellis who provided a quite splendid score.</p><p></p><p>Picking up the ball close to the halfway line, the impudent half back jinked away from his tacklers to surge 40 yards to the whitewash for a magnificent solo touchdown.</p><p></p><p>Irish then went within a whisker of an immediate reply, but Lewis Moody bettered the efforts of Tagicakibau before him to halt the rampaging Feaunati a yard from Leicester's line.</p><p></p><p>Moody's determination summed up Leicester's first half showing as they dominated the tight areas, while displaying some credible rugby with ball in hand.</p><p></p><p>A 20-5 lead at half time, courtesy of a raking Goode penalty from inside his own half, did not flatter the hosts, leaving Irish with plenty to think about during the interval.</p><p></p><p>They came out fighting in the first 10 minutes of the second period, and England skipper Martin Corry felt the effects of a fired-up Exiles line-up, retiring to the blood bin with an ample covering of scarlet coming from a head wound.</p><p></p><p>The visitors narrowed the deficit to 12 points through Mike Catt, who assumed the kicking duties from the woefully inaccurate Riki Flutey, but they were always fighting an uphill struggle in front of Leicester's empowering home crowd.</p><p></p><p>That soon became a mountain on the hour mark, as Howard's substitution of Varndell for Lloyd paid instant dividends, and sparked a late buffet of tries for the home side.</p><p></p><p>When the match-clinching moment arrived, it had an ironic feel as the Tigers used Irish's own counter-attacking methods to hammer the crucial nail, with Lloyd leaping onto Catt's forced pass to race away from Tagicakibau for 28-8.</p><p></p><p>If that try owed much to sheer anticipation, Leicester's fourth score was down to unquestionable quality.</p><p></p><p>Once again Ellis was heavily involved, this time providing the perfect chip for Murphy to chase, and the Ireland full back displayed his soccer skills to flick the ball into his hands before diving over.</p><p></p><p>Irish would have been happy for the game to end there, but Lloyd took the Tigers to the 40-point mark as he converted a break from Ollie Smith, albeit after the centre's pass had missed its original target.</p><p></p><p>All that was left was the referee's full time whistle, which sparked jubilant celebrations from the crowd, and mass brawling from the players - Leicester's only loss of control in the entire afternoon.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bullitt, post: 69530"] [b]Tigers roar into ***le final[/b] [img]http://home.skysports.com/images/sports/Leicester/ellis_surge.jpg[/img] Leicester Tigers kept their unbeaten home record intact to thrash London Irish 40-8 and book a Premiership final date with Sale Sharks. The four-time champions produced a thoroughly professional display to dominate their dangerous counterparts, and they pressed home their superiority with tries from Alesana Tuilagi, Harry Ellis, Leon Lloyd (2) and Geordan Murphy. Irish were never able to get their dangerous counter-attacking style going, and a semi-final against the highly experienced Tigers simply proved to be a step too far after a campaign that has already surpassed all expectations. Having won nine of their last 10 games, the Exiles were very much the form team going into the contest, but they faced the daunting task of winning at fortress Welford Road, something no side had done in the Premiership all season. Leicester have suffered plenty of knock-out heartache this season, losing to Wasps in the Powergen Cup semi-final before being dumped out of the Heineken Cup at the hands of Bath. However, Pat Howard's man arrived at their home ground in determined fashion, intent on making sure they would not suffer a hat-trick of big-game failures. The match had been billed as a clash between Leicester's power and the Exiles' speed and thrust, yet the opening exchanges proved quite the opposite. Daryl Gibson began to justify his selection after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, taking the attack to the heart of the visitors' defence from the off, and Andy Goode benefited with the first three points of the afternoon. Irish seemed content to close the game down early on, but the indiscipline of scrum half Paul Hodgson soon opened it up, as he received 10 minutes in the bin for a stamp on the head of opposite number Ellis. Leicester wasted no time in making their advantage pay, peppering the blindside to force Tuilagi in at the left corner. Goode's super conversion from the touchline extended the lead to 10-0. However, Brian Smith's Irish side have played with an unshakable belief all season, and they did well to stabilise matters before hauling themselves back into the contest on 25 minutes. First Ben Kay saw yellow for persistent infringement at the ruck, and then the Exiles quickly used the lock's absence to win the line-out and set up Olivier Magne for the try - thanks to some dynamic running from Dominic Feaunati. Back came Leicester in an increasingly absorbing first half, and cue a stunned silence as wing sensation Tom Varndell failed to convert from five yards, due to the impressive defensive work of Sailosi Tagicakibau. The Tigers' fans did not have to wait long for their second try though, and it was Varndell's fellow England colleague Ellis who provided a quite splendid score. Picking up the ball close to the halfway line, the impudent half back jinked away from his tacklers to surge 40 yards to the whitewash for a magnificent solo touchdown. Irish then went within a whisker of an immediate reply, but Lewis Moody bettered the efforts of Tagicakibau before him to halt the rampaging Feaunati a yard from Leicester's line. Moody's determination summed up Leicester's first half showing as they dominated the tight areas, while displaying some credible rugby with ball in hand. A 20-5 lead at half time, courtesy of a raking Goode penalty from inside his own half, did not flatter the hosts, leaving Irish with plenty to think about during the interval. They came out fighting in the first 10 minutes of the second period, and England skipper Martin Corry felt the effects of a fired-up Exiles line-up, retiring to the blood bin with an ample covering of scarlet coming from a head wound. The visitors narrowed the deficit to 12 points through Mike Catt, who assumed the kicking duties from the woefully inaccurate Riki Flutey, but they were always fighting an uphill struggle in front of Leicester's empowering home crowd. That soon became a mountain on the hour mark, as Howard's substitution of Varndell for Lloyd paid instant dividends, and sparked a late buffet of tries for the home side. When the match-clinching moment arrived, it had an ironic feel as the Tigers used Irish's own counter-attacking methods to hammer the crucial nail, with Lloyd leaping onto Catt's forced pass to race away from Tagicakibau for 28-8. If that try owed much to sheer anticipation, Leicester's fourth score was down to unquestionable quality. Once again Ellis was heavily involved, this time providing the perfect chip for Murphy to chase, and the Ireland full back displayed his soccer skills to flick the ball into his hands before diving over. Irish would have been happy for the game to end there, but Lloyd took the Tigers to the 40-point mark as he converted a break from Ollie Smith, albeit after the centre's pass had missed its original target. All that was left was the referee's full time whistle, which sparked jubilant celebrations from the crowd, and mass brawling from the players - Leicester's only loss of control in the entire afternoon. [/QUOTE]
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