Dan the man

Cole sparks comeback victory as Tigers mimic Boks’ Bomb Squad

LEICESTER’S very own Bomb Squad blew Connacht apart with former England prop Dan Cole leading Tigers to a victory that keeps their 100 per cent win record intact.

Trailing 20-12 after 47 minutes, Leicester boss Steve Borthwick had seen enough and sent on substitutes Cole, Julian Montoya and James Whitcombe to defuse a dicey situation.

The trio quickly forced the sinbinning of tight-head prop Finlay Bealham, and while he was off Leicester scored two converted tries from Freddie Steward and Hosea Saumaki to seal victory.

It now means Leicester have won all 13 games this season — their last defeat way back in June against Bristol who are up next on Boxing Day in the Premiership.

‘The players coming on added a huge amount of energy and intensity,’ said Borthwick of his frontrow who rivalled the famous work of the South African replacement front-rowers. ‘What was really pleasing was how our team grabbed hold of it and changed the game.’

Cole, 35 in May, particularly impressed. ‘He’s not that old, definitely not! Not the way he’s moving around,’ added Borthwick. ‘I retired at 34 and didn’t move like him. He’s been excellent.

‘Those three front rowers who came on did a terrific job. Dan is a very mature, very composed rugby player. He just keeps putting in great performances.’

As this was the only match of the day in the Champions Cup, after France’s closing of their borders to the UK had forced the postponement of seven games, we needed some pre-Christmas cheer.

By half-time, Connacht were the Grinches, stealing so much joy from the Welford Road crowd that some even jeered Tigers off.

But it was looking good for Tigers when they went 12-3 up before the half-hour mark. First Nic Dolly scored on the left after quick work from Ben Youngs.

Then Matt Scott broke well in midfield, fed by what looked like a forward pass from Dan Kelly, to make an incision in behind Connacht, before kicking neatly through for Youngs. Leicester whipped the ball through the backs and Kelly found Bryce Hegarty for the Tigers’ second try which Freddie Burns converted.

But then Leicester let Connacht back in. Kelly went for an intercept, but Bundee Aki nipped in to put John Porch away. Jack Carty converted to add to his earlier penalty.

Tigers compounded the error. Burns shovelled a ball on to Kelly who was hit behind the gainline. He made it worse by flicking the ball away in a panic and before any Tiger could react, Carty had scooped it up and run in to score and convert.

With no George Ford and Ellis Genge — the departing duo off to Sale and Bristol next season were rested for this — old and young Tigers needed to step up.

Carty extended the Connacht lead to eight with a penalty after half-time before Borthwick hooked Burns, who was having a poor game. At the same time he changed the whole front-row, Whitcombe, Montoya and Cole on for Nephi Leatigaga, Dolly and Joe Heyes, which transformed Leicester.

Three scrum penalties against Connacht on their own line in quick succession saw referee Mike Adamson sin-bin Bealham and then with numbers over Steward bashed in on a short line off Kelly to score. Hegarty converted as Tigers moved one point behind.

Then came their fourth try, Saumaki splitting Connacht with a diagonal burst after Leicester had sucked Connacht’s 14-men in with a big maul. Hegarty kicked the goal and Leicester had 14 points in the sin-bin period.

The full-back extended Tigers’ lead to nine with a late penalty which looked to have denied Connacht a losing bonus-point — but Carty’s drop-goal with the last kick stole a hard-earned point.

‘The yellow card hurt us, but that’s Leicester Tigers, they flexed their muscles and we paid the penalty,’ said Connacht coach Andy Friend.