Billy Searle's Last-Minute Penalty Secures Emotional Tigers Victory Over Bath

Amidst one of rugby union's greatest contests, the fixture involving Leicester and the visitors proved to be heavily influenced by the emotion during half-time as any on-field action on the pitch.

Martin Johnson led a phalanx of Leicester old boys in honour of the great Lewis Moody, who has announced that he has been diagnosed with MND.

When Moody last pulled on the Tigers' jersey at Welford Road, 15 years ago, before moving to their rivals Bath for the last two years in a distinguished playing career, the home side remained still at their very best, while their opponents were situated in the middle of a lengthy period without the title. The landscape has shifted dramatically since then. The Tigers’ great rivals arrived as champions, the first time they've held that status since the 1990s.

A Truly Passionate Welcome on Home Turf

The Tigers, riding a powerful emotional surge, served up a classic, robust reception, embracing the role of underdogs in their own stadium, the 18,000 Midlanders further emboldened by Moody’s confession at half-time that regardless of his residence, this famous ground will always be the home of his rugby heart.

In retrospect, Bath did not stand a chance. Sure enough, in a last-minute assault deep in Bath territory, Leicester won one last penalty out of the Bath defence.

A Dramatic Decisive Moment

Billy Searle, on for the impressive James O'Connor, the seasoned Australian making his debut start for the club, took a quick tap, before the Bath prop caught him high, an infringement for which he received a yellow card. From the final play, Searle landed the penalty on an angle to steal the win.

We might as well have been transported back of Moody’s pomp. Certainly, Leicester, who climb a little higher in the mid-table bun fight, can take great encouragement that a familiar frontal assault remains effective, no matter the pedigree they face.

A Tale of Two Styles

The visitors were sublime when in possession. So Leicester, after a bewildering first half-hour which saw them trail 17-7, learned to deprive them of any. A succession of penalties against Bath kept Bath on the back foot, their pack thoroughly outplayed at the set piece for most of the match.

Leicester’s three tries were carbon copies of each other, neither scored from more than a yard; Bath’s three were studies in poetry. Dan Frost, Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath scored the tries, either side of Cracknell's score for Leicester. Subsequently, on the back of those penalties, Reffell and Smith forced their way over to score just before and just after the break.

A Nail-Biting Finish

That earned Tigers the lead, an advantage they maintained for most of the second half. It seemed only a matter of time before Bath secured sufficient possession to grab a fourth try. Actually, their scoring opportunity arrived via an infrequent penalty at the scrum, their South Africans by then on. Finn Russell, after missing two earlier kicks, landed the kick with a little less than 10 minutes to play.

This merely galvanized Leicester to launch one final, powerful assault, set up by the lively Ollie Hassell-Collins on the left wing. After earning the penalty that earned Bath the lead in a situation he relishes, the unfortunate prop conceded where he is not. There could be only one result.