Tigers see off Saints
Leicester's enviable strength in depth saw them maintain their 13-month unbeaten home record.
Last Updated: 01/11/09 12:18pm
Leicester's enviable strength in depth saw them maintain their 13-month unbeaten home record.
Despite missing 19 players - six unavailable due to England call-ups - the Tigers were able to hold on for a reasonably comfortable win over their midlands rivals.
Former Ireland fly-half Jeremy Staunton kicked 19 points, including conversions of tries from Lucas Amorosino and Anthony Allen, which finally broke Northampton's resistance.
The visitors scored two excellent first-half tries, both stemming from menacing runs from Bruce Reihana, but lacked their familiar cutting edge without England pair Ben Foden and Shane Geraghty. The sum of their efforts in the second half was a penalty from Stephen Myler.
Leicester took time to settle and were seven points down after five minutes when Reihana launched a counter-attack, supported by Myler and Chris Ashton, which gave lock Christian Day a clear run to the line.
Myler converted but Staunton settled Leicester with two well-struck penalties, before Argentina international wing Amorosino scorched over from long range after Allen intercepted a sloppy pass from Myler.
Staunton's conversion was followed by two long-range penalties, with a glaring missed penalty from Myler sandwiched in between.
But Northampton finished the half as they started it with Reihana powering down the right wing and Ashton supplying the finish.
Hesitant
Instead of growing in confidence, Northampton were hesitant after the break and a fumble from Myler under a high ball from Hamilton allowed Leicester to build the pressure.
Punches were exchanged when the two packs went down for a scrum and referee David Pearson spoke to the captains.
Northampton flanker Neil Best was fortunate to escape with a lecture from the referee after a high tackle on Martin Castrogiovanni, but that allowed Staunton to slot his fifth penalty.
The lead was reduced to seven points again when Myler found the target with a penalty and Leicester had a let-off when Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson had his claim for a try ruled out by the video referee for being in touch before he grounded the ball.
That proved a crucial decision as Allen dashed Northampton's hopes of salvaging a bonus point when he nipped speedily into the Saints attacking line for an interception and went over for the clinching try.
