Resurgent Leicester Tigers overpower Northampton Saints in derby downpour

Tries: Blamire, Henderson, Carnduff, Steward Cons: Searle Pens: Steward, Searle

Leicester Tigers gained revenge for their defeat in last season's Prem playoff semi-finals to defeat rivals Northampton Saints in torrential conditions at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

In a first half played at the mercy of the weather, neither team was able to find a rhythm, with James Pater's early opportunist try and Freddie Steward's long-range penalty the only scores on the board.

But, inspired by a major scuffle on the verge of half-time, the Tigers subsequently dominated.

First, Jamie Blamire drove over from a rolling maul, before Cam Henderson barrelled his way through Saints tacklers to slide over in the corner.

Faced with the onslaught, the shellshocked Saints were unable to prevent further tries from Finn Carnduff and Steward, as the visitors' wait for a league win at their near rivals stretches to four years.

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With the rain teeming down it was Saints who struck first. Playing with an advantage, Fin Smith's speculative kick ahead was spilled by Billy Searle allowing Pater to gather and score.

As the penalty count escalated amid the squall, neither team was able to keep the ball for long, but Freddie Steward gave the home fans something to shout about with a well judged penalty from 50 metres out.

Neither team was able to rely on their lineout, with Blamire suffering particularly at the hands of the marauding Josh Kemeny.

But with the whistle blown for half-time, the game's momentum shifted. A major scuffle involving multiple players broke out on the touchline, which eventually led to Ollie Chessum pushing England team-mate Henry Pollock down the tunnel.

Seemingly inspired by the tussle, the Tigers came out with a renewed purpose after the break.

Within minutes, Blamire was able to find his jumper five metres out and with the backs adding their weight, the Tigers powered over. The hooker ultimately emerging with the ball.

Having attained dominance in the scrum, the Tigers then struck again. Following strong running from Solomone Kata, Gabe Hamer-Webb and Henderson combined down the wing, to send the lock over the whitewash.

The Tigers were in the ascendancy and soon had a third through Carnduff, who drove over after a short-range pass from the imperious Joe Heyes as the Saints' defence tired.

Steward then put the gloss on the victory. The full-back stepping Archie McParland to grab what had appeared an unlikely try bonus point, to the delight of the home fans.

The result leaves the Tigers in second behind Gloucester, while Northampton drop to fourth.

Leicester Tigers' boss Geoff Parling told BBC Radio Leicester:

"I thought the players really took hold of [the game] in the second half. Some of the guys in the pack, the way we worked physically for each other – I'm really pleased.

"The set-piece didn't function early on. We were slow to adapt to the officiating there, but we got on the front foot and showed our power and application in that side of the game.

"The way that the players problem-solved at the set piece, which was an issue early, was brilliant and I'm just really pleased with the emotional energy that they threw into that game."

On being asked about the momentum switch at half-time:

"The changing room was honestly the calmest dressing room you could think of. We didn't have lots of tactical messages, we just felt we needed to be a bit more accurate and we'd gain the ascendancy."

Northampton boss Phil Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton:

"[In the second half] we didn't control that kicking game as well we had been. At the set piece the penalty count was very high – we didn't manage to produce enough ball, create enough pressure and we gave them lots of opportunities to score in our 22.

"They had the momentum throughout the second-half, our actions were neither accurate or aggressive enough and its cost us."

"A very bitter pill with that second half performance in particular."

On being asked about the impact of the weather:

"We play a winter sport and we have to get over that. We didn't work it out today and we need to be better at it [playing in the wet].

Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Wand, Kata, Hamer-Webb; Searle, van Poortvliet; Van der Flier, Blamire, Heyes; Henderson, Chessum (c), Wainwright, Carnduff, Cracknell.

Replacements: Asiata, Haffar, Hurd, Thompson, Moro, Whiteley, Bailey, Pearson.

Northampton: Pater; Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall (c), Hendy; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona; Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock.

Replacements: Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, van der Mescht, Lockett, Chick, McParland, Sleightholme.