Second half to forget for Tigers as the end of the season cannot come quickly enough
TIGERS VERDICT SAME OLD STORY AS LEICESTER FADE BADLY AFTER BRIGHT START
LEICESTER Tigers’ Premiership season continues to peter out after a 31-22 defeat to Sale Sharks at Salford Community Stadium last night.
After losing at home to Bristol Bears two weeks ago, their slim play-off aspirations had disappeared, but Tigers head coach Dan McKellar demanded a response from his players in their final two games of the season.
He got that early on, as veteran Dan Cole forced his way over the line after a wonderful attacking passage.
But once again Tigers couldn’t make it last, and in the second half the home side was not troubled.
Sale hit back from Cole’s early score within 10 minutes after a bruising carry in midfield from a lineout by former Tigers star Manu Tuilagi into Ollie HassellCollins which created the ball quick enough for Gus Warr to sneak around the ruck to score.
The collision earned the Tigers winger a yellow card too.
It was the lineout that created the second try for the home side during Hassell-Collins’ yellow card, with a neat move at the front giving Tommy Taylor a run in.
Tigers did even up the ‘sin-bin period’ scoreline though, as Matt Scott perfectly read the mind of Gus Warr to take the intercept on the 10-metre line and finished it himself.
The game continued to have an open, end-of-season feeling under the fading sunshine in Manchester.
Both sides had come to play, and there were plenty of wasted chances before, on the half hour mark, Sam James finally got over the line for the home side after a horribly overthrown lineout.
Jamie Shillcock cut the lead to eight points with a penalty just before the break, but that was as good as it got for Leicester, as again the second half was one to forget.
Last time out Tigers dominated against Bristol Bears until the 70th minute before imploding, but this week they didn’t really fire a shot after the break, barring a 76th minute consolation score from England’s traction engine, George Martin.
Sale scored further points through a try from Tom O’Flaherty and a penalty from the boot of exTigers fly-half George Ford to extend their lead and secure the win, although they were never forced to engage top gear to do so.
The same issues remain for Tigers.
Their attack looks aimless at times, whilst defensive mistakes cost them huge territory.
Offsides in midfield cost them two tries and numerous penalties. There’s a lot to work on ahead of next season.
With a fired-up Exeter Chiefs side heading to Mattioli Woods Welford Road next week, things may well get worse before they get better.