Leicester proved that they're here to stay on the top of the European tree
with a victory which equals the competition record of nine successive wins in
Heineken Cup combat.
Another stupendous try when all seemed lost gave Dean Richards' trophy holders
a wonderful win in a game dominated by kicks.
Leicester saw Perpignan slip into a 24-15 lead after 10 minutes of the second
half, but crucially, they spurned the chance of a try for Tim Stimpson, their
hero in last year's final against Stade Francais, to narrow the gap to nine
points.
This rose Perpignan to more furious attacks on the Leicester line, but
Leicester themselves stepped up a gear.
George Chuter cleanly won a line-out and swiftly passed to Lewis Moody, who
drove with plenty of support to the Perpignan posts.
Replacement back Jamie Hamilton handed onto Stimpson, and this time, winger
Steve Booth had no Perpignan defender in front of him and scored under the posts
to give Stimpson an easy conversion.
Thierry Lacroix converted another penalty to put his side back in front late
on, and in five minutes of nail-biting tension in injury time, Stimpson, kicked
a magnificent penalty from the most awkward of angles and from the longest of
distances, just inside the Perpignan half.
It had all looked so different for the visitors after a below-par opening
period.
Leicester's outside-half Andy Goode began an extraordinary sequence of
penalties when he was unfairly tackled and Stimpson opened the score with a
penalty under the posts.
Lacroix replied when Leicester infringed at a drop-out and kicked Perpignan
into the lead two minutes later.
Perpignan were determined to play fast, counter-attacking rugby but Leicester
held their ground with a controlled approach.
Josh Kronfeld mopped up a bouncing ball in his first Heineken Cup match for
Leicester, but Austin Healey's kick stretched over the dead-ball line.
Stimpson missed his second penalty before claiming another three points to
make sure Leicester did not play catch-up rugby.
Andy Goode then equalised with a hopeful drop-goal from open play. Both sides
did not look like scoring a try because they had so little time between the
penalties.
Lacroix took the lead yet again at 12 points to nine, only for Stimpson to
equalise two minutes later.
Six minutes later Lacroix took the lead again only for Stimpson to score
another penalty to make it 15-15.
Then, with three minutes of injury time played, Lacroix had another chance
from 40 metres and his kick sent Perpignan into the lead at the break.
When the Frenchman added another three shots at goal after the interval, it
looked as though Leicester were doomed.
But the defiant Tigers had other ideas and will break Brive's three-year-old
record if the record a home win over Perpignan next week.
Teams
Perpignan:
Pens: Lacroix 9.
Drop Goals: Lacroix.
Leicester:
Tries: Booth.
Cons: Stimpson.
Pens: Stimpson 7.
Drop Goals: Goode.
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