Dismay for Leicester as Varney snatches it
LEICESTER boss Dan McKellar ordered his Tigers to have a “long hard look in the mirror” after Gloucester posted a first win here in 16 years.
Now his squad have three away games – starting at Newcastle on Friday – to keep themselves in contention for a coveted Premiership play-off place.
McKellar, looking at his most frustrated since he arrived last summer, added: “They played well, took their chances and were a bit more desperate. That’s why we need to have a long hard look in the mirror.
“Newcastle is going to be a tough game and we have to make sure our preparation is where it needs to be so we can get back on track.”
Overall, Gloucester produced a better allround game than a Leicester team reliant on shunting opponents into corners.
Tigers did score four tries to three but also lost out in the place kicking duties to Gloucester’s Santi Carreras.
The Argentinian kicked five from five in contrast to Jamie Shillcock – standing in for the sick Handre Pollard – who landed only two from five for Tigers.
Gloucester were also inspired by No.8 Zach Mercer in a team effort where they came back three times, lastly in a dramatic finale.
Shillcock’s 72nd-minute try had edged Leicester ahead 25-20 only for Gloucester scrum-half Stephen Varney – who scored a crucial try for Italy over Wales last week – to burst clear for an equalising score five minutes later.
Carreras then kept his nerve to kick the conversion for a triumph which followed up the Premiership Cup win over Leicester at Kingsholm last Friday.
Both teams ‘tooled
up’ for this return to the Premiership proper in a clash which was also for the Ed Slater Cup in honour of the former lock who is fighting Motor Neurone Disease.
This match was often scrappy and at times dominated by some good and poor territorial kicking.
Varney had a mixed night on the kicking front though there was no doubting his ability when he sped clear two minutes from time, feeding off hooker Seb Blake’s nimble pass.
Tigers’ home support had started celebrations six minutes earlier when Shillcock had also shown good speed in scoring his team’s fourth try.
That put Leicester 23-20 up and his conversion extended the lead to 25-20 before Varney and his tenacious colleagues had the final say.
Shillcock, like Varney, had a mixed night and looked distraught in
the 36th minute having fallen off a tackle which allowed Gloucester’s substitute centre Chris Harris an easy run to the line.
Carreras added the extras for a Gloucester lead of 17-3 from an opening period in which Mercer reigned supreme.
The No.8 had finished off a break down the left flank in the 29th minute for Gloucester’s first try which cancelled out Shillcock’s opening penalty.
However, by half-time Leicester had turned to their traditional strength of the driving maul to haul themselves back into contention.
Tommy Reffell led the charge to be followed by two more from similar positions in the 42 and 56th minutes by centre Solomone Kata and No.8 Jasper Wiese.
In between, a Mercer break had helped gain Gloucester a crucial penalty from Carreras in contrast to Shillcock having missed both conversions.
Shillcock must have thought his evening had finished on a high when he bolted through off Jack van Poortvliet’s flick pass following Julian Montoya’s break.
But Gloucester had the final word much to Leicester’s dismay.