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Leicester Tigers fly-half George Ford
Leicester Tigers have waited a long time to avenge their 28-9 loss to Brive in the 1996/97 Heineken Champions Cup final, but Friday provides an opportunity, albeit in Round 1 of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
The tie at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, which kicks off at 19:45 British and Irish time, is being streamed live and for free through the official tournament website.
Match facts
- Last season Leicester participated in their inaugural Challenge Cup campaign, progressing to the semi-final stage, after winning all three of their home games in the pool stage.
- Brive have lost seven of their last eight away games against Premiership opposition in the Challenge Cup, a 25-24 win against Worcester in October 2016 being the exception.
- Only RC Toulon (89%) had a better tackling success rate than Leicester (87%) in the Challenge Cup last season.
- Only Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin (7) assisted more tries than Leicester fly-half George Ford (5) in the Challenge Cup last season.
- Of the competing clubs, Brive have made the most tournament appearances with 117, reaching the knockout stage 13 times.
- Steve Borthwick, Leicester Tigers’ head coach, is a former tournament winner. He captained Bath Rugby to success against Worcester Warriors in 2008.
Leicester Tigers kicked off their European Rugby Challenge Cup campaign with a victory as they scored three tries in the final ten minutes to beat a stubborn Brive side 39-17 at Welford Road.
The two teams exchanged penalties in the opening 20 minutes, before Leicester’s Tom Youngs scored the first try of the game just after the half hour mark.
Joaquin Diaz Bonilla slotted his third penalty of the half three minutes before the interval, handing Leicester a 14-6 lead heading into the second period.
FULL-TIME | Tigers make a winning start in Europe seeing off the challenge of Brive with tries from the Youngs brothers, Cyle Brink and Nemani Nadolo. #LEIvCAB pic.twitter.com/39Mn2l2fe4
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) December 11, 2020
Brive’s Enzo Herve slotted two more penalties after the break, but George Ford came off the bench for Leicester and responded with two placekicks of his own, maintaining his side’s control of the game.
A flurry of late tries from Leicester sealed the victory, with Ben Youngs, Cyle Brink and Nemani Nadolo all crossing in the final ten minutes, as Wesley Douglas’ score for Brive proved insignificant
Leicester will look to build their winning start in the European Rugby Challenge Cup as they travel to Bayonne next week, while Brive will look to bounce back as they host Zebre in Round 2.
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