Mark Anscombe’s men became the first side since Munster in 2006 to win at Welford Road in European competition as they made it six successes from six fixtures in this year’s competition.

Heineken Man of the Match Ruan Pienaar scored all of his side’s 22 points with a second-half try and a 100 per cent record from the tee, with Toby Flood adding four penalties and the conversion of Niall Morris’ 50th minute try for the Tigers, who will now be on the road in the last eight.

The first half was dominated by the boot, with Pienaar and Flood kicking a hat-trick of penalties apiece to make it 9-9 at the break.

Leicester struck first through their skipper after five minutes and the fly-half added a second six minutes later to double the advantage when Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry refused to roll away after Mat Tait was twice involved in a move that was started by Jordan Crane’s short burst and clever offload.

Pienaar cut the gap to 6-3 with his opening shot at goal just past a quarter of an hour but Leicester then went close to the opening try as Graham Kitchener was brought down just short moments after they lost No8 Crane to injury.

Ulster stopped the initial momentum created by the Leicester lock when they won turnover ball but a big scrum from the Tigers pack resulted in a third successful kick from Flood and a 9-3 advantage.

Pienaar struck again from wide on the left after a huge driving maul was halted illegally by the hosts on 28 minutes and the Springbok star brought his side level with a huge kick three minutes later. Pienaar’s effort crept over the crossbar from fully 52 metres out after Leicester held on in the tackle.

Leicester should have been in front at the interval but Flood surprisingly missed from a relatively straightforward angle on the edge of the 22 five minutes before the close of the half.

Ulster started the second period brightly but it was Leicester who were celebrating the first try when Morris touched down in the right-hand corner 10 minutes after the restart. The former Leinster wing gathered Flood’s chip ahead, with the TMO confirming what the Welford Road faithful had hoped to hear before Flood slotted a superb conversion.

With Flood having opened the half with a penalty after 46 minutes, Leicester were suddenly 10 points clear and looking for all the world like pool winners.

But Ulster hit back in style as Pienaar sent over a fourth penalty with 56 minutes played, before charging down Flood’s clearance and winning the race to the loose ball with ease for a try from next to nothing. The scrum-half sent over the extras from the tightest of angles just in from the right touchline to tie things up at 19-19 on the hour and the momentum was all with Ulster.

Pienaar then hit the target again from halfway to edge his side 22-19 in front with a little over 10 minutes remaining and, even though Leicester threw everything they had at the Irish outfit, Ulster held firm to record an historic victory that means they will head to the quarter-finals as the tournament’s top seeds.