Ford's Full House Books Leicester Tigers' Premiership Final Spot
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Leicester Tigers booked a place in the Gallagher Premiership Final with a 27-14 victory over Northampton Saints on Saturday.
A nerve start to the match for both sides and it just before the break, Leicester back Guy Porter picked up a yellow card on the stroke of halftime, with Dan Biggar slotting the resulting penalty to head into the break deadlocked at six apiece.
Saints ran in the game's first try after 47 minutes through the inform Tommy Freeman as Northampton Saints led 6-11.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Club 😎
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
Tommy Freeman makes it a century of tries for @SaintsRugby! No better place to get it than the #GallagherPrem semi-final 🙌
"Ball to hand the best side in the Premiership" 💪 pic.twitter.com/Pyfp0jVx8Q
Leicester's response was swift as George Ford sped through a gap to score just three minutes after the opening try.
GEORGE FORD!! 🤩
Listen to that roar from the crowd! What a try and what a response! 🐯@LeicesterTigers are all square again! 👊#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/uW1wpsb20v
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
The flyhalf then provided the scoring pass for fullback Freddie Steward to stretch Leicester's lead to 21-14 with 10 minutes left to play.
By hook or by crook 💪
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
Colossal effort from Ellis Genge making up crucial ground, George Ford in the right place at the right time, and Freddie Steward through for the line 🙌
It wasn't pretty but it could be enough for @LeicesterTigers 🙏#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/wmOraRvYqG
It remained tense, though Ford’s late drop goal – in a congested area of the pitch – pushed the lead into double figures and the fly-half, in his last appearance at the stadium as a Tigers player, added a final kick.
George Ford. That's it. That's the tweet 👏#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/s2acPBO7vy
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
FORD'S FULL HOUSE
George Ford put on a show in his final outing at Welford Road.
The England international claimed his second 'full house' for Leicester scoring in all four possible ways: try, drop goal, conversion and penalty.
The Tigers' pivot kicked well out of hand all game and managed to beat four defenders.
He did miss two tackles but made 11 as Northampton flooded his channel.
WIESE CARRIES THE TIGERS' FORWARD
Springbok forward Jasper Wiese made a remarkable 20 carries in the match gaining 38 running metres.
He also topped the tackle count for Leicester, won a turnover and beat a match-high of nine defenders.
REACTIONS
Chris Boyd:
"Create and didn't finish, paid the price in the end..."@SaintsRugby's DoR Chris Boyd leaves on a disappointing note, but his team created wonderful rugby right through to the end 👏#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/BjlxxOt5gi
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
Lewis Ludlam:
"It's a tough pill to swallow really" 😔
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
Lewis Ludlam is left a bit shell-shocked as @SaintsRugby fail to capitalise on the big chances against Leicester#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/6ynW10Pjpr
George Ford:
"I'll miss it greatly, we've got a job to do next week, and whatever's after that is after that..." 😌
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 11, 2022
2️⃣2️⃣ points. The second most in Premiership Rugby semi-finals history. George Ford was simply remarkable in his final game at Welford Road 👏#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/bEJvob7U39
MAN OF THE MATCH
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