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Aironi caused arguably the biggest upset in Heineken Cup history when the beat Biarritz Olympique in a Pool game last season and registered their first ever competitive victory as a team. - 10/11/2011 11:38
Aironi caused arguably the biggest upset in Heineken Cup history when the beat Biarritz Olympique in a Pool game last season and registered their first ever competitive victory as a team.
The Pro 12 outfit only won one game in their domestic league last season but their 28-27 victory over Biarritz in the Heineken Cup sent shockwaves around European rugby and the Italian franchise will be looking to do the same this season.
The double Heineken Cup winners, who lifted the trophy in 2001 and 2002, will be aware that a trip to Italy in a Pool game has the look of a potential banana skin for the English giants.
The Tigers have already endured a difficult start to their season and lie in 10th place in their domestic league and a trip to face Aironi at the 18,568 seater at Stadio Brianteo in Monza will be a daunting one.
Alessana Tuilagi's late score was the difference in Italy as double Heineken Cup Champions Leicester Tigers came from behind to beat Benetton Treviso. - 09/10/2010 17:19
Leicester Tigers kicked off their Heineken Cup campaign with a well-earned victory over Aironi in Monza this afternoon.
The former Champions raced into an early lead but Aironi forced their way back into the fixture, denying the visitors a bonus-point.
The Tigers have struggled for form in English Premiership, having been bit by injuries and International call-ups but they got off to a flyer in northern Italy, surging into a 13 v 0 lead thanks to a pair of quick-fire penalties from the boot of Toby Flood and a try from Tom Croft.
Richard Cockerill’s men continued to threaten in attack and they clinched a second try shortly before the 25-minutes after Alesana Tuilagi took a short-ball off Flood and crashed over. The England fly-half dissected the posts to bring the scores to 20-0 but Aironi quickly hit-back with a penalty.
They continued their resurgence with a second Luciano Orquera penalty on 33 minutes to bring the scores to 20-6 at the break.
Flood struck the uprights within two minutes of the restart but he made no mistake three minutes later to stretch Leicester’s lead to 23-6.
Orquera quickly struck-back with his third penalty and following a sustained period of pressure he slotted another on 68 minutes to make it 23-12.
That appeared to stir the Tigers life but they could not break Aironi’s unforgiving defence until it was too late.
Following some strong carrying by Thomas Waldrom, the visitors worked the overlap and Leicester captain Geordan Murphy threw a pin-point miss pass to fellow Irishman Niall Morris for a touchdown in the corner.
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