The Prem

Leicester Tigers (21) 38

Tries: Carnduff, Heyes, Blamire, Wainwright, Hassell-Collins Cons: Searle 5 Pens: Searle.

Gloucester (14) 31

Tries: Morgan, Bleuler, Trenholm, Innard Cons: Englefield 2, Barton 2 Pens: Barton

Leicester Tigers recovered from a disastrous start to battle back and beat Gloucester for their first home win of the season.

Jac Morgan and Dian Bleuler both touched down for the Cherry and Whites when Tigers had Billy Searle in the sin-bin early on, but the hosts hit back with tries from Finn Carnduff, Joe Heyes and Jamie Blamire to lead 21-14 at the break.

Aaron Wainwright and Ollie Hassell-Collins scores either side of a Will Trenholm try for Gloucester proved enough to earn Tigers a hard-earned win.

And while beaten for the first time this season, Gloucester ensured they remain top of the Prem after earning two late bonus points after Jack Innard went over and George Barton landed an 82nd-minute penalty in a game watched by the Duke of Sussex.

Prince Harry’s attendance added to sense of occasion at Mattioli Woods Welford Road as Leicester kept their hands on the Slater Cup – a trophy that honours former Gloucester and Tigers captain Ed Slater, who retired in 2022 after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Searle’s sin-binning in the second minute for a deliberate knock-on proved to be a costly one in a chaotic early showing by the hosts.

And while referee Karl Dickson denied Gloucester a penalty try – insisting Tigers had the numbers back to cover the danger – the Cherry and Whites were quick to burrow over for the game’s first try through Morgan.

Another penalty, line-out and drive had Bleuler powering over for the visitors again soon after, but once they were back at full strength, Tigers hastily grabbed a carbon copy try in response as Carnduff ploughed over.

A clever cross-field kick from Searle that was collected by Freddie Steward helped set Tigers up for their second try of the night, which Heyes did well to finish from close range, while another catch and drive effort had Blamire touchdown to put Tigers ahead for the first time.

Tigers’ fierce defensive showing early in the second half eventually earned Searle a penalty to extend that lead, while the chase on a searching Hassell-Collins kick had Gloucester scrambling back to defend their line before Wainwright scored his first try for the club.

Gloucester also had Freddie Thomas sin-binned for being offside, following repeat infringements from the visitors, but despite being a man down they managed to hit back through Trenholm, who crossed out wide after some bruising work from Morgan.

It took a try-saving tackle from Tom Whiteley on Will Joseph, and a follow-up effort from Tommy Reffell to knock the ball from the centre’s grasp, to stop Gloucester from reducing the gap further.

A 50-22 kick from Searle after that had Tigers on their way to putting the game beyond doubt, as Hassell-Collins combined with Adam Radwan to finish on the left edge.

Still, Gloucester refused to leave the East Midlands empty handed, with Innard going over in the 79th minute for a bonus-point try which was then followed up with a Barton penalty that bagged the Cherry and Whites a losing bonus point as well.

Leicester Tigers head coach Geoff Parling told BBC Radio Leicester:

“We have not started well in games repeatedly this season, and after 10 minutes it was a 14-0 lead [for Gloucester]. It felt like we hadn’t thrown a punch, so I felt very calm there.

“And then there were some really, really good bits in the rest of the game.

“We actually feel a bit deflated because of the end of the game, giving them those two bonus points, but again that is a sign of the want and desire in the team. We got five points in a big performance against a team that has been going well.”

Gloucester head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

“It was a tough game. It was a very physical game, a lot of big collisions out there today.

“We are a little bit frustrated, I don’t feel like we fired enough shots. Early on we got two opportunities and took them both and set ourselves up nicely. Then we weren’t quite accurate enough, we probably lost too many balls in the air, dropped a few balls and you don’t get many opportunities when you come to places like this and we let a few go in the first half.

“We didn’t quite get a hold of it, but at the end I thought the bench came on and had a real impact and to come away with two points is something. But right now, I’d have liked the game to be 20 minutes longer.”

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Hamer-Webb, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle; Van Poortvliet (c); Van der Flier, Blamire, Heyes; Carnduff, Henderson, Wainwright, Reffell, Cracknell.

Replacements: Moli, Vunipola, Hurd, Thompson, Moro, Whiteley, Woodward, Radwan.

Sin-bin: Searle (2).

Gloucester: Redshaw; Thorley, Joseph, Atkinson, Loader; Atkinson, Englefield; Bleuler, Lake (c), Fasogbon; Kleyn, Thomas, Ludlow, Morgan, Trenholm.

Replacements: Innard, Bellamy, Knight, Clement, Gwynne, Robson, Llewellyn, Barton.

Sin-bin: Thomas (50)

Referee: Karl Dickson.