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Leicester Tigers remain top dogs after holding off Harlequins
By PA
George Ford kicked 11 points to maintain Leicester’s unbeaten start to the season by winning a titanic struggle with the reigning champions.
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Ford kicked three penalties and converted Harry Potter’s try as Tigers took their winning run to nine Premiership matches, their best league run since 10 was achieved between November 2001 and March 2002.
Louis Lynagh scored Harlequins’ try with Marcus Smith kicking three penalties but Smith and Danny Care were outpointed in the key half-back duel with the experienced Ford and Ben Youngs.
Leicester prop Dan Cole celebrated his 200th Premiership appearance before a sell-out crowd of 24,202 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road and his side were soon ahead when Ford knocked over a simple penalty.
Smith responded with one for Quins but Ben Youngs brought the home crowd to its feet with a superb 40-metre break which took him close to the try-line – but Tigers were unable to capitalise as Ford failed to find Hanro Liebenberg with his cross-field kick.
A second penalty from Smith put the visitors 6-3 in front at the end of the first quarter, which Leicester had largely controlled, but they could not take advantage of some powerful carries from Ellis Genge and Nemani Nadolo.
Youngs was the star of the opening exchanges as he made another sizzling break to leave Alex Dombrandt in his wake, but desperate defence from Quins kept the scrum-half out.
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Leicester turned down a couple of kickable penalties and were narrowly denied when Freddie Steward was forced into touch inches short by the combined efforts of Tyrone Green and Cadan Murley.
Ford brought the scores level with his second success before Smith was yellow-carded for knocking the ball from Youngs’ hands, with Ford kicking the resulting penalty.
Leicester number eight Jasper Wiese then followed Smith to the sin-bin for a no-arms tackle and the visitors should have made then pay but Huw Jones, on his first Premiership start, inexplicably went for glory when there was a clear overlap outside him. A golden opportunity was lost so Tigers held on for a 9-6 interval lead.
Three minutes after the restart, Tigers scored the first try when Ford and Youngs neatly combined before Potter collected the scrum-half’s kick ahead to score.
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Smith and Wiese both returned from the bin before Smith kept Quins in contention with his third penalty.
The outstanding Youngs was replaced by Richard Wigglesworth with 25 minutes remaining and it was in time to see Lynagh score a splendid solo try by skilfully kicking ahead and winning the race to touch down. Smith’s touchline conversion crucially went wide so Leicester held a two-point advantage going into the final 15 minutes.
Ford was then presented with his most difficult kick of the afternoon and although he was off target from 45 metres on an angle, his side held on for a deserved victory.
Credit in defeat Quins and these two teams will be in the play offs at season end