The Leicester Tigers kept their European Champions Cup knock-out stage hopes alive with a bonus point 40-23 victory over Scarlets on Friday.
Six tries from Miles Benjamin, Jordan Crane, Adam Thompstone, a Tom Youngs brace and Sam Harrison were just rewards for Leicester’s domination at the set-piece.
Scarlets were game throughout and scored tries through Rob Evans and a Harry Robinson brace, but apart from a short period at the end of the first half, when playing with a numerical advantage, they never looked likely to cause an upset.
Both sides came into the game needing a bonus-point victory to stay alive in the competition and Leicester face Ulster away in their final pool match with another win and bonus point being their best bet at reaching the quarter-finals.
Scarlets put the first points on the board through Bath-bound flyhalf Rhys Priestland, but then Tigers kicked into gear.
Quick ball from scrumhalf Ben Youngs, a miss-pass from flyhalf Freddie Burns and a clever flick from right wing Thompstone allowed fullback Mathew Tait to give powerful left wing Benjamin the chance to bulldoze through two stretched tacklers to touch down in the corner.
Leicester showed their intent when they kicked a penalty to the corner rather than going for the posts — the bonus paramount in their thoughts.
And they were rewarded with a catch-and-drive from the line-out forcing Crane over.
However, after that blistering first 20 minutes, the Tigers started to lose their way with dropped passes and a succession of penalties at the breakdown.
Priestland notched his second penalty and then the tide turned dramatically when Leicester lock Graham Kitchener was sin-binned on 32 minutes.
It took Scarlets just 60 seconds to capitalize as they played Leicester at their own game, kicking a penalty to the corner and then driving Evans over from close range.
Having spent the first part of the match chasing shadows, Scarlets turned around at the break trailing just 14-11.
Normal service was resumed once Kitchener returned, with Thompstone punishing a stretched Welsh backline to canter over.
Burns missed his first conversion of the evening, but the Tigers were now just one try away from their coveted bonus point.
And they earned it on 53 minutes as Tom Youngs, just a minute after replacing Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, popped up with the ball after another catch-and-drive line-out from close range.
Scarlets simply could not handle Leicester’s power in the set-piece, and Ben Youngs teed up his brother Tom for his second try after a break from the back of a ruck.
The Welsh outfit might have been beaten, but they were not bowed and perfectly delayed passes from centers Scott Williams and Regan King put wing Robinson over in the right corner on the hour.
However, flanker Aaron Shingler was sin-binned and Italy back-rower Robert Barbieri set up replacement scrumhalf Harrison for Leicester’s sixth try.
Before Shingler returned, Scarlets showed clinical finishing as Robinson was again found in space wide on the right for the ninth and final try of a thrilling match.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
This year’s Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, would be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event’s cancelation. In a statement issued yesterday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition would still take place on June 6-7 at Banciao Stadium, but under the name “New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.” The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, the association said. It said it would soon
RSS