Leicester wait to learn fate as Leinster deprive them of bonus point
Leicester were left to play a waiting game in terms of reaching the Investec Champions Cup knockout phase after Leinster toppled them 27-10 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
The Tigers needed a point to secure qualification from Pool Four, but their fate now rests on what happens in Sunday’s clash between Sale Sharks and La Rochelle.
Leinster, chasing a record-equalling fifth European title this season, fell 10 points behind to a Hanro Liebenberg try, with Handre Pollard kicking a conversion and penalty.
But the Irish heavyweights soon found a familiar rhythm, taking charge through tries from lock Joe McCarthy, wing Jordan Larmour and hooker Dan Sheehan, while Harry Byrne added two conversions and a penalty.
Caelan Doris’ late try secured a bonus-point as Leinster ended the group-stage with four wins out of four and secured a round of 16 tie on home soil in Dublin later this season.
Leicester shaded the early sparring as both sides jostled for territory, and they deservedly went ahead through a 10th-minute try.
Number eight Jasper Wiese made initial headway, and with Leinster regrouping in defence, Tigers centre Dan Kelly surged into space and sent a scoring pass to Liebenberg.
Pollard converted from the touchline, and he increased Leicester’s lead midway through the half by kicking a 50-metre penalty after Sheehan infringed.
Leinster, though, underlined their enviable European pedigree by drawing level through a 10-point burst in six minutes.
Byrne opened their account with a penalty, and as Tigers came under mounting pressure, McCarthy crashed over from close range and Byrne’s conversion tied things.
Leicester then lost Wales flanker Tommy Reffell for a head injury assessment, and Leinster went ahead for the first time following a blistering break by scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
The Ireland international was hauled down short of the line by Leicester full-back Freddie Steward, but Leinster quickly recycled possession and Larmour finished strongly as Tigers found themselves 15-10 adrift.
Reffell failed his HIA and was replaced by Kyle Hatherell, before Tigers’ England forward Ollie Chessum also went off for a HIA and scrum-half Tom Whiteley was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on.
It went from bad to worse for Leicester as Leinster stung them with a third try before Whiteley had barely left the pitch as Sheehan crossed and Byrne’s conversion opened up a 12-point gap.
Like Reffell, Chessum did not rejoin the action, but Leicester began the final quarter strongly, with their cause being helped by a yellow card for Leinster replacement Jack Conan.
But they could find no way through Leinster’s defence, and Tigers’ Champions Cup fate now rests on events elsewhere.
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The game where it felt like RSA was going to lose the most was the England game in my view. Heart in throat after the Farrell drop-goal…Amazing that the boks overcame 3 times in a row…not likely to be repeated ever in my view Also the boys looked emotionally spent in the England game in the 1st half That said, why was World Rugby and Beaumont allowed to stack the pools in England’s favour? Toughest opponents on that side of the draw were Fiji, Argentina (implode central) and Auckland Girls 2nd team
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