Tigers crush Chiefs to win first Prem Rugby Cup
The Tigers were rampant throughout, outscoring the visitors by five tries to one in the first half, establishing a 35-point lead before the Chiefs got on the board. Will Wand and the imperious Billy Searle scored two tries apiece, to add to Archie van der Flier's effort, before Ross Vintcent replied for the visitors on the verge of half-time. After the break Will Haydon-Wood restored some measure of respectability for the Chiefs, but further scores from Van der Flier, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Tareq Haffar, James O'Connor and a penalty try capped a record-breaking afternoon for the home side.
Prem Rugby Cup final: Relive as Leicester clinch title with rampant 66-14 win Billy Searle scored two first half tries as Leicester overpowered their rivals to win the competition for the first time The Tigers, having dominated English domestic rugby in the late 2000s and early 2010s, were looking for their first silverware in four years. Their last success in cup competition came back during the 2016-17 season in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, two years before that competition was replaced with the Premiership Rugby Cup. Following a cagey opening, it was the home team who struck first.
After Exeter were penalised for holding on at the ruck, the home side kicked for the corner. From the ensuing line-out, the Tigers drove up to the Chiefs' line before the ball was recycled to Wand who pirouetted over to score. That lead was doubled soon afterwards with Ollie Hassell-Collins powering through a hole close to the ruck, before feeding Van der Flier to canter over untouched.
The Tigers were rampant and were gifted a third to make it 21-0 soon after through Searle, who intercepted Haydon-Wood's pass before outrunning Paul Brown-Bampoe to the line. As the heavens opened, the Tigers then added a fourth after Joaquin Moro's break from deep freed Hassell-Collins down the wing. With the winger eventually tackled by the desperate cover defence, Tom Whiteley's pin point cross-field kick fell perfectly for Wand to dive over for his second.
Whiteley then repeated the trick for Leicester's fifth to open a 35-0 lead before the break - kicking ahead to the on-running Searle - before the Chiefs replied through Vintcent's close-range effort. Gabriel Hamer-Webb scored the Tigers' eighth try to cap a record-breaking afternoon in the East Midlands Things went from bad to worse for the visitors at the start of the second half, with Leicester scoring a sixth in controversial circumstances. Referee Hamish Smales adjudged the ball was over the Chiefs' line at a ruck, allowing Van der Flier to dot down, much to the bemusement of the away side.