KO Volume cranked up to 11 as Hartley leads the Saints out. Williams to start the game… SAINTS 0 TIGERS 0 2mins First attack of the half is the visitors’ after Hooley’s clearing kick. A few heavy duty carries are met by equally heavy duty tackles and Williams’ stab over is knocked on. Saints scrum. SAINTS 0 TIGERS 0 4mins Call that one a stalemate and after Wood picks from the base, Fotuali’i box kicks up to halfway. Foden gets a chance to stretch his legs and when Williams’ kick is half charged down by the full back, North carries and wins his side a penalty in kickable range. SAINTS 0 TIGERS 0 6mins What a settler for Hooley. His 40m effort is beautifully struck - as were each of his kicks last weekend - and Saints lead the east midlands derby. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 7mins Another Saints penalty, this time as they look to drive it clear from the restart. Williams gets himself on the wrong side and Hooley kicks to touch - Dowson rescuing a slightly overthrown lineout from his skipper. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 8mins Fotuali’i’s offload in the tackle slightly over exuberant and that allows Youngs to slide a kick in behind. Foden is back to cover though and dodges Goneva before firing an excellent kick out of play. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 10mins Leicester looking for space in behind but Fotuali’i is this time on the scene to watch it go dead. Second scrum of the afternoon is another solid one allowing Hooley to kick clear, albeit straight down Hamilton’s throat. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 12mins Dangerman Goneva gets his hands on the ball for the first time but with Foden in his path and North quickly on the scene, the winger is bundled into touch. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 14mins Mulipola is on the charge and Slater takes his side within five of the whitewash. Saints’ line is up quickly though and while they knock on, the danger is temporarily stemmed. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 15mins As you’d expect, handbags are flying everywhere as a scrum goes to deck. The set piece will be reset but referee Barnes is off to the TMO for a look at what exactly was going on. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 16mins Nothing immediately coming to light and the game resumes with a reset and a stern word in each skipper’s ear. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 0 16mins Saints line in serious danger and a wide pass sends Allen over. Not sure what that was all about from Ben Youngs, who gestures to the crowd something akin to a football celebration. In any case, Tigers are in front and Williams converts. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 7 19mins Hartley overthrows a lineout and that allows the visitors to nick back the territory. It gets worse for the Saints too as they look to run it clear. Burrell gets himself isolated and Williams finds the mark again with a penalty. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 10 22mins That’s a soft penalty to give away from a Saints perspective. Tigers chasers are blocked from a high ball and Williams kicks to touch, just outside the home 22. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 10 23mins Cracking stuff from Day. Saints tacklers chop Tom Youngs down and the second row’s red cap is first on the scene to wrap the ball up. Saints penalty. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 10 24mins Leicester are playing the territory game and it’s working pretty well for them so far. This time Youngs box kicks into the Saints’ 22 and the onus is on the hosts to clear once more. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 10 27mins Enterprising stuff as Goneva and Hamilton run Tigers clear. Another ball gets stuck on the ground and this time referee Barnes’ arm goes up on the Leicester side. Williams kicks another penalty and the gap goes into double figures. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 13 31mins Lovely offload from Foden to Fotouali’i as the Saints surge forward for the first time. Support is a little slow in getting to the scrum-half but Saints play on and win a penalty, Deacon playing the ball on the ground. Hooley’s kick starts wide of the right post though and stays there. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 13 32mins Frustrating couple of minutes for the Saints, who now lose Hartley to an arm injury. Haywood comes on just as Foden overcooks a kick upfield. Leicester lineout inside the Saints’ half. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 13 36mins Saints scrum, Saints penalty. Referee Banres is on Ma’afu’s side of the set piece and rewards the Wallaby up against Ayerza. Haywood’s first lineout goes to hand and Saints flood forward. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 13 37mins Elliott kicks forward and Youngs can’t gather, allowing Wood to go within inches of the Tigers line. Dowson is chopped down by a high tackle from Goneva but play goes back to the other side of the field for a penalty advantage. Mercey is now on for Ma’afu, a second front row change for the Saints as Hooley goes to the corner. SAINTS 3 TIGERS 13 38mins SAINTS TRYYY!!! Maul is the order of the day but with that being well defended by Tigers, Fotuali’i spots spaces, jinks through and rolls over to ground. Excellent finish from the Samoan and a much needed boost before half-time. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 39mins Another effort from the tee that Hooley will be disappointed by - particularly given his first strike of the day which was excellent. No further action after the restart and Hooley ends the opening 40. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 HT Not a great deal of ball to pay with for the Saints in a half certainly edged by Leicester. The whitewash that proved so elusive last weekend has been breached though and they’ll also be playing towards the Burrda Stand in the second half. With the breeze also at their backs, there’s plenty left in this game yet. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 40mins Back underway through Hooley, ALL to play for at the Gardens... SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 41mins Very unlike Fotuali’i, who spills an albeit low ball. Looked like Lawes was being pulled about in the air as well but Leicester take advantage for a penalty from the resulting scrum. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 43mins Not the best kick from Foden as the Saints look to counter but his next contribution is a decent one, a low chip through ran back at the visitors. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 44mins Tigers attacking but Clark picks his moment perfectly - as he so often does - an pilfers his side a penalty. Patient, disciplined defence and Hooley can take the Saints upfield. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 47mins Not to get on the referee’s case, but it looks like he’s got that one wrong. Elliott and Thompstone go up for a high ball and while the former gets his hands to it, he lis penalised for taking the man in the air. Mulipola makes the most of a chance to run and Tigers are outside the home 22 once more, before Tuilagi knocks on that is. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 49mins Goneva’s winding up for a run but Hooley chops the wide man down and forces a knock on in the process. Territory needed for the Saints now. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 51mins Scrappy little spell ends in a knock on by Hamilton and Saints will scrum on halfway. A high tackle follows hotly after and Waller has stayed down having taken Tuilagi’s swinging arm to the face. No yellow, but a Saints penalty. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 53mins It's a fairly long one, but it's hooked wide by Hooley. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 54mins Now a loose pass is scooped up by Goneva and Saints are on the back foot. Hamilton flicks a slightly loose offload out the back but the ball is rescued by Thompstone and stays in Tigers’ hands when it gets stuck in a breakdowns. Saints have replaced Hooley with Wilson. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 56mins Worth pointing out that while Hooley has had a rough day with the boot, his general play hasn’t been all that bad. Big period coming up now though with Wilson pulling the strings. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 58mins It’s a Tigers penalty from the scrum, even with the drive going sideways. Williams has a chance to make it a two-score gap once more and does. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 16 60mins Oh so close for the Saints! North breaks Goneva’s tackle and Fotuali’i flies down the blindside. Elliott can’t quite cling onto an inside offload but Saints still on the attack and earn a penalty just outside Tigers’ 22. SAINTS 8 TIGERS 16 62mins Over from Wilson, back to a five-point game. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 16 64mins Quickly back to eight though as Williams lands penalty number three, Saints punished for holding on. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 19 65mins Another Saints change, Dickson on for Elliott, Wilson to the wing and Fotuali’i to 10. Tigers lineout in the home 10m line and Saints are pinged for offside at the lineout. Williams is kicking this game away from the hosts. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 66mins A lot can happen in 14 minutes of rugby, but the Saints are going to have to make it happen for sure if they want to get back in the game. North is doing his best, bouncing off Goneva but then an arcing pass doesn’t quite go to hand for Pisi and Tigers have the ball back. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 69mins Dickson ups the tempo with a quick tap and Dowson is up in support. Saintsmen are queuing up on the left but a low ball is too hot to handle for Burrell and it’s knocked on. Handling errors costing the Saints their chances in attack. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 70mins Potentially big moment. Saints dismantle a Tigers scrum and win the penalty against the head. Wilson kicks to touch. More changes for both sides, Ken on for George and Hawkins and Flood on for Youngs and Williams. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 71mins Maul time again and it’s another Saints penalty after the drive works 10m forward. This kick is right into the corner, 5m out and a golden opportunity. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 72mins Day gathers but with van Velze looking after the ball. Tigers find a way through and wrap the no.8 up. It will be their 5m scrum as the Gardens rallies for perhaps one final charge from their team. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 73mins Youngs’ clearing kick is a half decent one and Saints are back to the 22m line. The lineout is lost but a loose ball is then pinched from the deck and Saints line their runners upon midfield. Still no way through though and a Tigers penalty follows. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 75mins Blistering from North! The big Welshman carves open the Tigers back line and races into the 22. Youngs cynically kills the move and sees yellow. Final chance for Saints now against 14 men. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 76mins Space out wide for Ken after Fotuali’i’s arcing pass but he is just about bundled into touch. Thomsptone comes off for Harrison. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 76mins The Saints penalties are racking up, two in quick succession for a high tackle and Dickson then brought down with defenders not 10. There’s another yellow for Tigers, this time Goneva and Saints have four minutes against 13 men. SAINTS 11 TIGERS 22 77mins SAINTS TRY!! The extra men count and Waller is put away into the corner. Referee Barnes takes his time to give it, with assistance from the TMO. Wilson can’t convert from wide but Saints are within a converted score with 2 on the clock. SAINTS 16 TIGERS 22 79mins A quick tap from Dickson is followed by another North charge bout he has to fling it inside to avoid going into touch and possession is conceded. Tigers now looking to wind down thew final minute but concede a penalty. SAINTS 16 TIGERS 22 80mins This is it. Lineout on the 22, and a slid kick in behind is desperately scrambled to touch by Tuilagi. Saints 5m lineout, but remarkably the final whistle goes as they are readying it. The hosts denied what would have been a brilliant finish. SAINTS 16 TIGERS 22 FT No idea what’s happened there, but it seems Saints thought they had time for the lineout before Barnes blew up. Remains to be seen what on earth is going on, but it will make little difference now. Saints have been beaten. SAINTS 16 TIGERS 22 TIMELINE 16mins TIGERS Try Allen Con Williams 3-7 21mins TIGERS Pen Williams 3-10 28mins TIGERS Pen Williams 3-13 32mins SAINTS Miss pen Hooley 38mins SAINTS Try Fotuali’i 8-13 HALF-TIME SAINTS 8 TIGERS 13 59mins TIGERS Pen Williams 8-16 62mins SAINTS Pen Wilson 11-16 63mins TIGERS Pen Williams 11-19 66mins TIGERS Pen Williams 11-22 75mins TIGERS Yellow B Youngs 76mins TIGERS Yellow Goneva 77mins SAINTS Try E Waller 16-22 FULL-TIME SAINTS 16 TIGERS 22 SAINTS: Foden; Elliott, G Pisi, Burrell, North; Hooley, Fotuali’i; A Waller, Hartley (capt), Ma’afu, Lawes, Day, Clark, Dowson, Wood Reps: Haywood, E Waller, Mercey, Craig, van Velze, Dickson, Wilson, K Pisi TIGERS: Hamilton; Goneva, Tuilagi, Allen, Thompstone; Williams, B Youngs; Ayerza, T Youngs, Mulipola, Deacon, Slater (capt), Gibson, Salvi, Crane Reps: Hawkins, Stankovich, Balmain, Kitchener, Matera, Harrison, Flood, Smith TP Man of the Match: Ed Slater Referee: Wayne Barnes Att: 13,459
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