Following the 28-7 wet-ball win for Leicester against Northampton, here is how we rated Geoff Parling’s Tigers at Welford Road.
Leicester player ratings v Northampton
15 Freddie Steward: Was among the try scorers when Tigers smashed Saints 41-17 24 weeks ago at home, and he got on the list again with some excellent footwork for his 72nd-minute bonus-point try. Opened his team’s account with a brilliantly struck 19th-minute penalty kick from halfway to punish a Henry Pollock offside; then finished the half by taking exception to how Alex Mitchell interacted with Adam Radwan, igniting the dust-up that fired up Leicester’s second-half dominance. 8
14 Adam Radwan: With Leicester managing a paltry 16 passes compared to 13 first-half kicks in a period dominated by Saints, it was only when he was bundled into touch to end the opening period that you noticed he was playing. His individual duel with George Hendy never materialised until a 70th-minute break from the opposition wing. That resulted in a yellow for Radwan, but it was quickly rescinded after preceding foul play on Solomone Kata was spotted. 5
13 Will Wand: A slog of an afternoon in contrast to his illuminating start to the season, this no-frills game seldom invited him to get involved. His alertness remained good, though, and he had no hesitation joining his team’s maul for their opening try four minutes into the second-half. That was excellent team play awareness. 6
12 Solomone Kata: The first of five changes to the Tigers XV following last Sunday’s European loss at Pau, the fit-again midfielder caught the eye with a 23rd-minute catch running backwards following another Fin Smith teaser in behind and a big carry on the lead-up to the second Leicester try for a 13-7 lead. On the receiving end of head contact from carded Saints sub Tom Lockett, which resulted in Radwan getting reprieved for his yellow. 7
11 Gabriel Hamer-Webb: Another recalled player, the Wales pick for November had two fleeting opening-half moments, a 24th-minute aerial duel with Rory Hutchinson and then a super touch finder eight minutes later. Two more moments followed in the second period: his assist for Cameron Henderson’s 52nd-minute try and then his penalty-winning pressure on Tommy Freeman 16 minutes later. 7
10 Billy Searle: Has been at the core of Leicester’s flourish under Parling, but that was a Saturday where silky, ambitious game plans were chucked in the bin. The negative influence of the wet was evident in his flapped attempted catch which gifted Northampton their first try, but he bounced back in the second half, providing solid direction for his hard-working pack. 6
9 Jack van Poortvliet: Back at No.9 with a contract extension also inked, his head-to-head with Mitchell, his England spot rival, would have sparked fireworks on a drier day. Instead, what unfolded was a winter’s game of chess convincingly won in the second half by the Tiger, who greatly helped increase the second-half tempo. Was an important reason why Saints still have not won in Leicester since January 2023. 7
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The forwards
8 Olly Cracknell: With Leicester struggling for first-half possession, he produced an immense tackle shift to keep them in the contest and prevent them from bleeding on the scoreboard. Was the clear standout eight in contrast to the distracted Pollock. 8
7 Finn Carnduff: Moved across from being at blindside in France last weekend, the England U20 2024 skipper came into his own in Leicester’s second-half surge. Took the lineout catch that set up their lead-taking 44th-minute try and then scored 13 minutes later, crashing through the contact of two Saints tacklers. 8
6 Aaron Wainwright: One of two pack changes along with prop Joe Heyes, Leicester’s second Wales squad pick metaphorically rolled up his sleeves even though Tigers were wearing short-sleeved shirts. Showed his football skills with a left-footed ball stopped with his team attacking on advantage in the play that got them 21-7 up with a penalty. 7
5 Ollie Chessum (c): Plenty of verbals from the skipper to go with plenty of inspired hard-hitting; he was frustrated by a 13th-minute knock-on near the line but was central to denying Saints a try 13 minutes later, a crunching intervention that necessitated a temporary HIA absence. Returned spitting fire and brimstone; his shoving of Pollock up the terrace steps at the interval was pantomime. Excellent second-half, inspiring his team to a 25-0 show of fire. 9
4 Cameron Henderson: Couldn’t get the Leicester lineout going in the first half. For example, lost a 10th-minute lineout jump and while a steal followed 23 minutes later, he was on knocking on at another throw. However, he was a player transformed in the second half and his 52nd-minute try finish was lovely. 8
3 Joe Heyes: It was his 28th-minute scrum penalty win that provided encouragement at another set-piece struggle. That helped to crucially shift the momentum in this area and his joyous second-half outburst of celebration epitomised the feeling of every Leicester fan in the ground with the Saints getting toyed with. 9
2 Jamie Blamire: Mad that his terrible first half at the lineout, where throw after throw went astray, was alleviated by a show of force in the tackle and then the hooker scoring his team’s first try through an early second half maul. A 61st-minute intervention to deny Saints a score was also illuminating. 7
1 Archie van der Flier: Another whose first-half set-piece troubles became second-half celebrations. He also showed up well in the tackle to help earn his team their deserved win. 8
Replacements: Apart from Joaquin Moro being a temporary HIA sub in the first half, Parling didn’t use his bench until the bonus-point win was in the bag – N/A