Points machine Lee Jarvis kicked Pontypridd to a shock Heineken Cup victory
over Premiership champions Leicester at Sardis Road on Friday night.
Jarvis landed six penalties as Leicester lost their 100% tournament record
this term despite scoring the solitary try of a fiercely-fought encounter.
Tim Stimpson, wearing Tigers' number 15 jersey but playing on the right wing,
touched down after 19 minutes to reward an intense spell of Leicester pressure.
Yet, although they dominated the first period territorially, Tigers turned
around just 11-9 up and Jarvis punished them with match-winning strikes on 51,
57 and 72 minutes.
Pontypridd's triumph took them level on points with Pool Six rivals Leicester,
setting up a mouth watering return clash at Welford Road next Saturday.
Jarvis, among the Heineken Cup's most prolific scorers, missed only one shot
from seven attempts.
Every kick was like a dagger into Leicester's heart, but the Tigers could have
few complaints after repeatedly falling foul of Scottish referee John Hogg.
Leicester's away form in Europe has proved suspect for the past few seasons,
and this was another case of letting a game slip that they should have put out
of sight by half-time.
Pontypridd, a superbly drilled team under the direction of coach Richie
Collins, did not require any second chance as Leicester proved incapable of
securing victory.
The dramatic closing stages were a far cry from the opening flurries when
Leicester laid siege to Pontypridd's 22.
After Jarvis and Stimpson had exchanged early penalties, the Tigers looked to
have scored when full-back Jeordan Murphy gathered centre Pat Howard's clever
kick and slid over the Pontypridd line, but referee Hogg disallowed it.
Pontypridd's stay of execution was a brief one though, and slick midfield
passing from Leicester's next attack saw Stimpson cross wide out.
Pontypridd were well and truly on the back foot, but once they broke out of
their own half, Jarvis slotted two further penalties for a narrow lead before
Stimpson put Tigers ahead at the break.
The second period will go down as one of total misery for the visitors. The
regular sight of skipper Martin Johnson querying Hogg's decisions underlined
just how seriously Leicester's challenge had come off the rails.
Roared on by a 7000-strong crowd, Pontypridd never lost momentum on the back
of Jarvis' magnificent goal kicking.
He wasn't the only local hero though, flanker Dale McIntosh and young number
eight Michael Owen producing wonderfully committed performances.
Leicester threw everything into attack during the closing seconds, but it
proved too little too late, and on this form, it would be no surprise if
Pontypridd reached the quarter-finals as Pool Six winners.
Teams:
Pontypridd: Pens: Jarvis 6. Pontypridd: Davey, C. Williams, Parker, Bryant, Colderley,
Jarvis, John, Loader, Vunipola, Cronk, Cockbain, Sidoli,
McIntosh, Parkes, Owen.
Not Used: Neville, Sweeney, J. Lewis, Evans, Graham, James,
Lloyd.
Leicester: Tries: Stimpson. Pens: Stimpson 2. Leicester: Stimpson, Murphy, Lloyd, Howard,
Stanley, Goode,
Hamilton, Rowntree, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, Moody,
Back, Corry.
Not Used: Jelley, Smith, Nebbett, Balding, Cockerill, Short.
Att: 5,000
Ref: J Hogg (SRFU).
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