Billy Searle’s Last-ditch Penalty Seals Poignant Leicester Win Against Bath

Leicester-Bath this whitethorn person been, nan awesome rivalry of English rugby, courtesy of their pre-eminence either broadside of nan move of nan millennium, but location was arsenic overmuch for rugby connoisseurs to savour astatine half-time arsenic location was during nan existent match. Martin Johnson led a phalanx of Leicester aged boys successful honour of Lewis Moody, who has announced his test pinch centrifugal neurone disease.

When Moody past pulled connected a Leicester garment here, 15 years ago, earlier moving to Bath, wherever he still lives, for nan past 2 years of a storied career, Leicester were much aliases little still astatine nan highest of their powers, while Bath recovered themselves successful nan mediate of a agelong drought without nan title they had travel to cognize truthful well. Times person changed since. The Tigers’ awesome rivals arrived arsenic champions, nan first clip they person called themselves that since nan 1990s.

Leicester, connected a activity of emotion, offered them an old-fashioned welcome, relishing their position arsenic underdogs connected their ain pitch, nan 18,000 Midlanders further emboldened by Moody’s confession astatine half-time that, nary matter wherever he whitethorn live, Welford Road will ever beryllium his rugby home.

In retrospect, Bath did not guidelines a chance. Sure enough, successful a last-minute battle connected nan Bath line, nan Tigers managed to coax 1 past punishment retired of nan Bath defence. Billy Searle, connected for nan fantabulous James O’Connor, nan knowledgeable Wallaby making his first commencement for Leicester, darted blind, and Thomas du Toit caught him high, for which offence he saw yellow. With nan past footwear of nan game, Searle landed nan punishment connected an perspective to bargain nan win.

We mightiness arsenic good person been backmost successful nan days of Moody’s pomp. Certainly, Leicester, who climb a small higher successful nan mid-table bun fight, will beryllium heartened that a acquainted frontal battle tin still output results, nary matter nan pedigree of nan opponent. Bath were a different people erstwhile successful possession. So Leicester, aft a bewildering first half-hour successful which they fell 17-7 behind, learned to deprive them of any. A deluge of penalties against kept Bath connected nan backmost foot, their forwards comprehensively bested astatine nan group portion for astir of nan match.

Lewis Moody, who has announced his test pinch MND, walks astir Welford Road astatine half-time. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Leicester’s 3 tries were c copies of each other, neither scored from much than a yard; Bath’s 3 were studies successful poetry. Dan Frost, Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath were nan finishers, either broadside of Ollie Cracknell’s effort for Tigers. Then, connected nan backmost of those penalties, Tommy Reffell and Nicky Smith forced their measurement complete for tries either broadside of half-time.

That earned Tigers nan lead, which they held for astir of nan 2nd half. It seemed only a matter of clip earlier Bath won capable shot to people their fourth. Actually, their breakthrough came pinch a uncommon punishment astatine nan scrum, their South Africans by past on, either broadside of Tom Dunn, nan hooker besides on, for his 250th appearance. Finn Russell, having missed 2 of his 3 earlier attempts to convert, landed nan footwear pinch a small little than 10 minutes to play.

That only inspired Leicester for 1 last, brutish assault, group up by nan lively Ollie Hassell-Collins down nan left. Having won nan punishment that earned Bath nan lead wherever he is astir comfortable, mediocre Du Toit conceded wherever he is not. There could beryllium only 1 result.