There were plenty of smiling faces after this one but a certain amount of nervous energy, too. After the start they have endured to the Premiership, Leicester knew they could not afford to lose their opener in Europe but with the visit of Ulster, recent finalists, a win would require a marked upturn in recent form.
An upturn in form is what they managed, as well as a win they were well worth – hence the smiles, although there were also echoes of their recent troubles. A confident Leicester would have taken advantage of Ulster’s poor form for the first 50 minutes and registered a bonus point. Then there was the continuation of their injury horrors. Manu Tuilagi, just back from the groin strain that has hampered his season to date, departed 15 minutes in with a recurrence.
“How bad it is, I’ve no idea but it’s clearly not great news,” said Richard Cockerill, Leicester’s director of rugby. “Given that the same problem has just kept him out for three weeks, it’s not going to be a one-weeker, is it.” In other words, his participation in England’s autumn campaign is in doubt.
There may also have been nervous energy afterwards because of the bonus point Leicester allowed Ulster to leave with and the bonus point they failed to take away themselves – a two-point swing that may yet prove costly in the final reckoning. Cockerill insisted, rightly, that they had not given Ulster the point; rather, the visitors had taken it – and Ulster’s recovery from a 22-3 deficit early in the second half was built upon two magnificent tries of pace and precision.
Much discussion, however, centred afterwards on the penalty in the last 10 minutes that Leicester chose to kick to the corner in vain search of an attacking bonus point, rather than aim at the posts to deprive Ulster of the defensive equivalent. “There was a small discussion,” said Ben Youngs, Leicester’s captain. “There was a gusty wind, so it wasn’t the easiest kick. We thought we’d give it to the forwards to see if they could score but they blew it! Luckily it didn’t cost us.”
Leicester were in credit by then, courtesy of three first-half tries in little more than quarter of an hour. They were all vigorous, uncomplicated affairs, roared on in classic Welford Road fashion by a crowd starved of such pleasures of late. That bonus-point fourth would have been scored by half-time had Youngs not put his foot on the touchline in the buildup to Leonardo Ghiraldini’s effort.
“It’s been tough,” said Youngs, “but we’re just pleased we’ve got the season back on track. It’s one game in Europe and it will count for nothing if we don’t go to the Scarlets and back it up.”
After that there will be a back-to-back showdown with the champions, Toulon, just after the autumn internationals. Then if Leicester are still in the mix, those smiles will deserve to be more confident.
Leicester Tait; Scully, Tuilagi (Benjamin, 15), Williams, Goneva; Burns (Mele, 75), B Youngs (capt); Ayerza, Ghiraldini, Balmain, Thorn (De Chaves, 44), Kitchener, Gibson, Salvi, Crane (Barbieri, 64)
Tries Williams, Kitchener, Burns Cons Burns, Williams Pens Williams 2
Ulster Ludik (Cave, 62); Bowe, Payne, McCloskey (Olding, 56), Gilroy; Jackson, Marshall (Heaney, 74); Warwick (Black 62), Best (capt), Herbst (Fitzpatrick, 76), Stevenson (Ross, 76), Van der Merwe, Diack, Henry, Williams (Williams 56)
Tries Bowe, Van der Merwe Con Jackson . Pens Jackson 2 Sin-bin Gilroy 31
Referee R Poite (Fr) Att 19,543
