Leicester show some 'fight' in Harlequins draw
PREMIERSHIP REACTION: Leicester Tigers coach Geordan Murphy saluted his struggling side’s determination, as they came from 14 points down to draw 30-all with Harlequins in front of a 75,000 crowd at Twickenham on Saturday.
This was the 12th ‘Big Game’ at Twickenham and the match followed the inaugural edition in finishing in a draw when Murphy scored for the Tigers in a 26-all clash with Quins back in 2008.
Leicester remained second-bottom in the English Premiership, with only reigning champions Saracens – hit with a huge 35-point deduction for salary cap breaches – below them in the table.
Tries in Saturday’s final quarter from Jordan Taufua and Telusa Veainu helped Leicester to a share of the spoils after Quins were reduced to 14 men and Murphy was delighted by the way his team’s pack paved the way for a couple of points.
“We knew that they were on a final warning scrum wise, we thought we had an edge there,” he said.
“We used that to build us a platform and at 30-30 and when they were down to 14 with seven minutes to go, I thought we’d go on and win that game, so it certainly feels like a very strange game.”
Quins boss Paul Gustard was frustrated by his side’s failure to see out the game in a match played just round the corner from the London club’s Stoop headquarters.
“For me, [I’m] gutted. I’m disappointed with the referee today and it feels more like a loss than getting two points,” he said.
“It was difficult, obviously, with sin-binning our tighthead prop, we had to move Joe Marler across.”
Elsewhere Bath edged out Sale 16-14 in a thriller at the Recreation Ground to leave them just outside the top playoff places.
It was a second straight win for Bath, whose hopes of reaching this tern’s European Cup knockout phase have been ended long before the finish of the pool stages.
Faletau returns
Wales flyhalf Rhys Priestland kicked three penalties for Bath, the last proving to be a match-winner after England centre Jonathan Joseph had gone over for a converted try.
Meanwhile, Wales No.8 Taulupe Faletau came through a full match for the first time this season, a timely appearance ahead of new national coach Wayne Pivac’s unveiling his inaugural Six Nations squad.
“He is pleased he has got through it,” Hooper said. “Credit to him for the work he has put in and to our medical team.”
Northampton went top ahead of Exeter’s game against Saracens on Sunday with a 33-26 success over Gloucester despite teenage rising star Louis Rees-Zammit scoring a hat-trick for the visitors.
The Saints triumphed, however, thanks to two tries from South Africa’s Cobus Reinach and 10 points from Piers Francis.
Saturday’s other league match saw Worcester beat London Irish 20-6 after the Exiles played more than half the game a man down following a red card shown to Motu Matu for a head-high tackle on Duncan Weir.
All the Round Seven match reports
Tigers share spoils after sensational comeback
Solly’s Warriors ease away from danger zone
Bath close in on top four
Bok’s double helps Saints edge Gloucester
Bok’s late try denies Bristol top spot
