Tigers roar into final to give Youngs a huge lift
LEICESTER captain Tom
Youngs reflected on a job well done after the Tigers reached a first European final for 12 years.
The Gallagher Premiership club fought back from an 11-point interval deficit against European Challenge Cup semifinal opponents Ulster at Mattioli Woods Welford Road to win 33-24 after scoring 27 secondhalf points.
They will face Bath or Montpellier – who played last night – in the Twickenham final on May 21.
Youngs said: “It is very pleasing. Ulster are a quality side and they came at us big-time.
“We had lost some close games recently, but we really tried to learn from those, and it helped us go on and win this game.
“We lost the collisions in the first half, but we addressed that at half-time and dug out a good win. We are not a team that goes away, and we got a foothold in the game.
“We will worry about the final when it comes around to it. We just want to get better and better each week.”
Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick added: “We were very poor in the first half and completely outplayed.
“There were a couple of glimpses in the first half and a couple of things we had to change tactically, and the boys did a very good job (in the second half ).”
Leicester’s England fly-half George Ford kicked 18 points from a drop-goal, three penalties and three conversions, while Tigers’ England prop Ellis Genge, South African number eight Jasper Wiese and wing
Guy Porter scored tries.
Ulster claimed touchdowns from skipper Iain Henderson, fly-half Billy Burns and number eight Nick Timoney, plus a Michael Lowry conversion and two conversions and a penalty by scrum-half John Cooney, but Leicester prevailed and booked a first European final appearance since 2009.