Leicester cruise to Premiership triumph
Goode scored one of seven Tigers' tries
Also In The News
|
Tony Blair has revealed that he will step down as prime minister on June 27th. |  |
Saturday, 12, May 2007 06:55
Leicester have landed the Guinness Premiership title with an assured 44-16 play-off final win over Gloucester at Twickenham.
The Tigers' victory completes a domestic double after their win in the EDF Energy Cup earlier this season with a possible treble hanging on the outcome of their Heineken Cup final against Wasps.
After giving away a ninth-minute try to Frank Murphy it seemed the Cherry and Whites might have weathered Leicester's early storm as a Willie Walker penalty brought the score back to 7-6 halfway through the first period.
But the Welford Road side resumed their barrage of attacks and soon exploited gaps in Gloucester much-vaunted backline.
Winger Alesana Tuilagi battered his way through tackles from Anthony Allen and Ryan Lamb to touch down in the 32nd minute.
Centre Dan Hipkiss was denied only by the video referee shortly after but a break from Seru Rabeni two minutes from the break scattered the Gloucester defence once again and Martin Corry was on hand to trundle over to make it 22-6.
Any hopes of a west country revival evaporated when Andy Goode capped a fine season with a try in the showpiece final soon after the restart and Tuilagi put his side out of sight as he smashed through Lamb again on route to his second try.
Shane Jennings burrowed his way over from a catch-and-drive and, although Lamb replied in kind after some rare Gloucester pressure, Lewis Moody capped the Tigers' ruthless display with yet another score.