Tigers do enough to beat Wasps
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Second-half tries from Greg Bateman and Telusa Veainu were enough for Leicester Tigers to overcome Wasps 18-9 at Welford Road.
Tigers trailed 3-6 at half-time to two Jimmy Gopperth penalties against just one from Tom Hardwick.
But despite a poor start to the second period, their pack eventually got on top to earn the victory.
Tomas Lavanini’s yellow card for taking out the lifter in a line-out had allowed Wasps to extend their lead to 9-3.
But Noel Reid came on and slotted three points before Bateman went over from a rolling maul.
And the game was sealed in a period just after the hour, Ben White doing brilliantly to deny Zach Kibirige when the wing looked certain to score.
A minute later Jacob Umaga’s pass went to the deck and Veianu scooped it up and sprinted home from his own 22 for the clinching try.
The scorers:
For Leicester Tigers:
Tries: Bateman, Veainu
Con: Reid
Pens: Hardwick, Reid
For Wasps:
Pens: Gopperth 3
Yellow card: Tomas Lavanini
Teams:
Leicester Tigers: 15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Rory Hughes, 10 Tom Hardwick, 9 Ben White, 8 Sione Kalamafoni, 7 Jordan Taufua, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Will Spencer, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs (captain), 1 Greg Bateman
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Nephi Leatigaga, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Harry Simmons, 22 Noel Reid, 23 George Worth
Wasps: 15 Marcus Watson, 14 Zach Kibirige, 13 Michael Le Bourgeois, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Thibaud Flament, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Simon McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Zurabi Zhvania, 18 Biyi Alo, 19 Brad Shields, 20 Sione Vailanu, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Sam Spink
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Simon Harding & Rob Warburton.
TMO: Trevor Fisher.
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