Monday 22 October 2012

Heineken High at Welford Road

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Leicester kept their Heineken Cup hopes alive with a vital 39-22 victory over Ospreys at Welford Road on Sunday.

Three tries in the final eight minutes from Toby Flood, Ben Youngs and Manu Tuilagi, added to Tuilagi's first half score, gave the Tigers a much-needed bonus point from the must-win encounter.

Flood added a further 19 points with the boot in a superb kicking display, while Ospreys' points came through Ryan Jones' try plus 17 points from fly-half Dan Biggar.

Ospreys grabbed the lead in the second minute when Ryan Jones drove over from close range and Biggar converted to put his side 7-0 up.

Just 10 minutes later the fly-half extended the Welsh side's advantage with a fine long-range penalty from the halfway before Flood finally booted Leicester onto the scoreboard in the 28th minute.

The hosts levelled the scores three minutes later when some superb link play from the Tigers backs put Tuilagi in on the right for a beautifully-worked try that Flood converted.

Biggar put his side back in front almost immediately after the break but Flood put the Tigers ahead for the first time with two penalties and then extended the lead on 49 minutes with a 47-metre effort.

Biggar hit back with two of his own to put his side on level terms going into the final quarter before Flood wrestled back the lead with a superb kick with 14 minutes to go.

Moments later the England fly-half opened the floodgates with a brilliant interception to all but guarantee the win and Youngs and Tuilagi followed in quick succession to seal a dramatic bonus point.



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