Defeat, but it could’ve been far, far worse...
BLOODY-MINDED PERFORMANCE STAVES OFF BEARS MAULING
ULTIMATELY, we might never know why Leicester Tigers made so many changes to a winning side for the trip to Bristol Bears.
Head coach Steve Borthwick made it pretty clear once Geordan Murphy was struck off the payroll in November, saying: “I don’t talk about players’ fitness or availability. I announce the team when the team is made public.”
Largely, he has stayed true to his word, aside from the odd halfupdate on players ‘doing well’ on their rehabilitation from knocks.
So it came as a serious shock when 11 changes were announced from the starting side that trampled Wasps to make the trip to league leaders Bristol Bears.
While the big topic of debate was who would fill in for the suspended Jasper Wiese and Hanro Liebenberg, few predicted a new front row, half-back and centre partnerships would be named, while the likes of Cyle Brink and Freddie Steward – two stand-out performers in recent weeks – were left back in Leicestershire.
Such wholesale changes left Tigers fans fearing the worst. They did not have to dig deep into their memory banks for the 40-3 thrashing served up on their last venture into Bears territory.
There were 10 “survivors” from that loss last September who returned for a second attempt on Saturday.
Three of the other 13 players; Shalva Mamukashvili, Facundo Gigena and Blake Enever, are no longer with the club. Jordan Coghlan (Nottingham) and Sam Lewis (Coventry) are out on loan while
ANOTHER
the likes of George Worth, Ryan Bower, Thom Smith and David Williams are finding gametime hard to come by. While Tigers’ “points scored” column matched their efforts of 150 days previously, that’s where the similarities end between the pair of defeats. Woven into the mystery of the selection announcement was
Joaquin Diaz Bonilla’s return. The Argentinian was first announced as a future Tigers player a week prior to that six-try defeat to Bristol last term.
His non-selection since round three this season in the Gallagher Premiership was put down to, in part, the league’s overseas player rule. It seemed the 31-year-old would miss out again as Zack Henry, one of the stars against Wasps, was put forward for midweek media duties – traditionally an indicator as to who is playing at the weekend.
If the Pumas international had arrived with his kicking boots, Tigers would have been nine points to the good by the time he landed a penalty at the third time of asking in the 28th minute.
It would have been no less than Tigers deserved. Bristol were running the ball back with interest but found a visiting defence ready to repel them.
Even Bristol’s famed lineout was not getting its rewards.
Then came the game’s big moment. Matias Moroni was yellow carded for a deliberate knock
Tigers were heading into half-time 11 points down and many feared the worst, of what could come after the break
on. It was instinctive and costly, as 240kg of tightheads in John Afoa and Joe Heyes still smashed into one another, just without the ball in the equation.
It was Bristol’s moment to pounce, and within 60 seconds, Will Capon broke Tigers’ defensive resolve from a masterful maul.
Five minutes later, the Premiership’s reigning player of the month, Piers O’Conor, crossed for a score that did not look on the cards when up against a full complement of players.
Suddenly Tigers were heading into half-time 11 points down and many feared the worst, of what could come after the break.
But that did not materialise. Bristol would add only three more points in the second half through Ioan Lloyd’s third successful kick with a 48th minute penalty.
Young men in the form of Cameron Henderson and Ollie Chessum, with just five Premiership starts between them prior to packing down together in this match, both went the distance. James Whitcombe arrived from the bench on his Premiership debut to immediately help his side earn a scrum penalty.
But it was not all about the kids. Moroni arrived back from his 10-minute rest to produce a fine defensive performance and old stagers Dan Cole and Tom Youngs can be content with their shifts, too.
Through sheer bloody mindedness – something that was so desperately lacking during those demoralising defeats in the closing rounds of the 2019/20 campaign – Tigers remained in with a shout of a point entering the later stages of the game.
They just could not make their catch-and-drive game stick. Bristol had done their homework after those forward-dominated wins over Worcester Warriors and Wasps.
The statistics tell some of the story. From Tigers’ starting XV, they collectively beat nine defenders with ball in hand; a figure matched by Bristol’s inside centre Alapati Leiua’s own individual haul.
Bristol ran for 412 metres to Tigers’ 143, made twice the amount of passes and had seven clean breaks to the visitors’ one.
Yet Tigers remained in the fight. “Sheer effort” was what Borthwick demanded in his first players meeting held in the stands at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road last July. Performances like this suggest the attitude and approach are bedding in.
Whatever the reasons were for leaving out the likes of Brink, Henry, Steward, Richard Wigglesworth and Luan de Bruin – injury, form, rotation or rules – the pillars of the performances from recent wins were there once more, just without the execution in attack.
It was a defeat that could reap long-term benefits for Tigers in their journey under Borthwick.
TO LISTLESS DISPLAY
LEICESTER City have suffered yet another home defeat but that will not be their main cause of concern from Sunday afternoon, with Brendan Rodgers’ tired side hit with yet more injuries.
When a team has six senior players already out, they do not need the treatment room becoming any busier, never mind filling up with in-form stars, but City were left to rue their bad fortune again as Harvey Barnes was stretchered off during the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
With seven goals to his name since Christmas, Barnes has been City’s leading light in attack of late, helping them to win games even when Jamie Vardy has not been scoring.
But he now faces a knee operation and a minimum of six weeks on the sidelines. With James Maddison already there, injuries are threatening to unravel City’s topfour bid, as they did this time last year.
But even with a fully-fit Barnes, City did not look like claiming anything from what was their first defeat to one of the big six this season.
That makes it sound more excusable, but Arsenal were in the bottom half coming into the game, 15 points behind City.
Both teams headed into the game off the back of a Europa League tie on Thursday night, Arsenal victorious in Greece as they beat Benfica, while City were dumped out by Slavia Prague.
It was Arsenal who coped better, with City fatigued from the moment Youri Tielemans fired them into an early lead.
From there, Mikel Arteta’s men dominated, David Luiz nodding in a free-kick and Alexandre Lacazette converting a penalty to have them ahead by half-time.
Nicolas Pepe scored in the second half to consign City to a sixth King Power Stadium loss already this season.
City’s injuries could see Kelechi Iheanacho get more chances and he was the man tasked with filling the void left by the injured Maddison in the sole change from the side that beat Aston Villa last weekend.
After a very slow first five minutes, Iheanacho played his part in City’s goal, his and Tielemans’ joint press winning the ball back inside Arsenal’s half, with the Nigerian striker dummying to allow his Belgian colleague to collect and sprint away.
He had a long way to go, but the
Gunners defence were so scared of the pass to Jamie Vardy that Mohamed Elneny, Pablo Mari and Luiz chose to track the number nine, giving Tielemans a free run at goal.
He accepted the gift, carrying the ball into the area and drilling a shot into the bottom corner.
That sparked the game, and Arsenal, into life.
It seemed like they had an immediate route back into the game when Ndidi gave the ball away and then he and Tielemans tripped Pepe as he ran at goal.
Referee Paul Tierney pointed to the spot, but a VAR check showed the challenge had come just outside the area, and a free-kick was awarded.
They did not stop Arsenal for long, though and the half would go on to be dominated by the Gunners, who looked much more energetic.
City were limited to chances on the break, but were hindered by Vardy’s problem groin, the striker not moving as freely as usual.
When Iheanacho clipped a ball over the top, he could not stretch high enough to reach it.
Otherwise, City’s chances were shots from range, Harvey Barnes’ 30-yard effort forcing Bernd Leno to parry.
Those forays forward were rare though, as it was Arsenal applying the pressure.
Pepe was giving Luke Thomas a torrid time but the left-back, who was making a fourth consecutive City start for the first time, did block the Ivorian’s shot after a cross from Kieran Tierney.