Leicestershire

Mantej Mann
BBC Sport journalist

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Investec Champions Cup Pool 1

Leicester Tigers: (12) 38

Try: Bassett 3, Hassell-Collins 2, Perese Con: Pollard 2, Steward, Shillcock

Ulster: (10) 10

Try: Timoney Con: Doak Pen: Doak

Josh Bassett scored a hat-trick as Leicester Tigers recovered from a sloppy start to beat Ulster and secure qualification for the knockout stage of the Investec Champions Cup.

Ulster arrived at Welford Road without a point from their opening two games in Pool 1 but scored a surprise first try through Nick Timoney.

Leicester seemed undercooked in the freezing East Midlands conditions but Bassett opened his account with a fine finish out wide.

Nathan Doak's early penalty meant Ulster led as the clock ticked into the red at the end of the first half but the hosts still had time to nudge in front at the break after running another backs move for Bassett to double his tally.

An infuriated Michael Cheika was seen lambasting his players during the interval and Leicester were much improved after the break following their head coach's stern words.

Watching Bassett cross twice inspired fellow Tigers wing Ollie Hassell-Collins to join the act with two tries of his own as the hosts wrapped up the bonus point.

Bassett found more space close to the touchline to run clear for his third before Izaia Perese also crossed to add further gloss to the scoreline.

Tigers remain third with a final pool game at champions Toulouse to come next Sunday, while Ulster will need to beat Exeter with a bonus point and hope Sharks leave Bordeaux-Begles empty-handed to qualify.

Leicester warm up to the challenge

Leicester cruised past an under-strength Sharks side in their last Champions Cup outing but lacked the same fluency in the opening exchanges against Ulster.

Doak's penalty handed the Irish province the lead before Timoney was the beneficiary of a fortuitous bounce from a clearance kick which beat two covering Leicester defenders.

The hosts are trying to employ more width in their attacks but struggled for accuracy, though their intent eventually paid dividends when Bassett was fed wide for a clinical finish cutting back against the traffic.

The winger crossed by a similar method in the same corner to hand Tigers the lead at the break, and Cheika's side let the handbrake off in the second half.

Leicester made inroads with the pack before whipping the ball wide again for Hassell-Collins to score, before the winger doubled his tally soon after following some neat hands despite the bitter cold.

Bassett was not to be outdone by his wing partner and latched on to his own kick through for the hat-trick as the youthful Ulster backline failed to clear the danger, before Perese skipped through close to the same touchline for the final flurry.

Line-ups

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Bassett; Perese, Kata; Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Van Poortvliet; Smith, Montoya (capt), Heyes; Henderson, Holloway; Carnduff, Reffell, Cracknell.

Replacements: Clare, Whitcombe, Cole, Wells, Ilione, Youngs, Shillcock, Woodward.

Ulster: McIlroy; Kok; Carson, Postlewaite; Ward; Morgan, Doak; Warwick, Andrew, Wilson; Henderson (capt), Izuchukwu; McNabney, Timoney, McCann.

Replacements: McCormick, O'Sullivan, Barrett, Treadwell, Sheridan, Cooney, Murphy, Telfer.

Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)

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In all competitions, Facundo Buonanotte has more goal involvements in 20 appearances for Leicester City this season (eight – five goals and three assists) than he does in 50 appearances for parent club Brighton and Hove Albion (seven – five goals and two assists).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Leicester City's performance

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

The FA Cup third round continues on Saturday, with three Premier League teams involved in early kick-offs.

This is how you can follow the action:

• Bristol City v Wolves (12:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Liverpool v Accrington Stanley (12:15) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Leicester v QPR (14:00)

Kick-off times GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction

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BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

What does Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy do here?

His side are in the relegation zone, after five straight defeats. While you may say they should focus on trying to stay up, they are clearly desperate for some confidence and the FA Cup could help give them some.

I suspect he will a) want to get a win under his belt and b) avoid the embarrassment of losing to a Championship side at home.

QPR are in mid-table but they have just won back-to-back games, against Luton and Watford, and they will make things difficult for the Foxes.

It is going to be close but Van Nistelrooy badly needs a win to end this run his side are on, and I think he will get it.

Billy's prediction: 2-2, QPR to win on penalties

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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The FA Cup third round is well under way, with Premier League sides Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa the clubs already booking their places in the fourth-round draw with wins on Thursday and Friday.

But for other sides hoping for a healthy cup run this season, when will the draw take place?

The draw will be live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer following the conclusion of the Arsenal v Manchester United tie, which kicks off at 15:00 GMT on Sunday.

It will include 32 teams - with all third-round matches this weekend settled on the day - and the resulting ties will be played over the weekend commencing Saturday, 8 February.

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None of the past 11 meetings between Leicester and QPR in all competitions have been drawn, with the Foxes winning six times to QPR's five.

The London side were victorious in the most recent such meeting, winning 2-1 at King Power Stadium in the Championship last season.

About a third of the way through the January transfer window, Leicester are yet to make any new signings.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling Podcast, Daily Mail football reporter Tom Collomosse put forward a possible reason why the Foxes might be taking a cautious approach this month.

"I think there's something else happening here with the possibility of PSR charges," Collomosse said. "Leicester won't want to do anything to annoy the people who are going to decide if they will be charged or not.

"I know that the accounts that the Premier League are looking at are not related to the accounts period that they are in now - but if the Premier League are looking at your accounts and you suddenly sign someone for £15m pounds, it could look like they are taking the mick.

"I think that this will be certainly be playing a part in Leicester's caution here. Maybe if there is a verdict at the start of next week, we might see things become a little bit clearer in the transfer market."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, profit and sustainability rules are the key topic of discussion.

The January transfer window is open, so potential incomings and outgoings at the King Power Stadium are very much on the agenda.

Owynn Palmer-Atkin is joined by Michael Appleton and the Daily Mail's Tom Collomosse in the latest episode, discussing whether Leicester should be worried about PSR, and how that may affect their dealings this month.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Ulster back row James McNabney says his confidence "is growing week by week" as he continues to establish himself as a regular starter in head coach Richie Murphy's team this season.

The 21-year-old made three appearances for the Irish province in the 2023-24 campaign but has featured in seven games to date this term, including six starting roles at either flanker or number eight.

McNabney has been on the field from the start in the wins over Glasgow Warriors and Connacht, as well as defeats by Bulls, Leinster, Toulouse and Munster.

"I knew within myself I had the capability, I just needed the opportunity," said McNabney before Saturday's Investec Champions Cup pool game against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

"Week by week confidence is growing and you can probably see that in my performances. As you get to know the players more the more you feel you can fit in and play round them."

McNabney did not play mini-rugby - his early sporting interest was focused more on horse riding - but he took up the game while a pupil at Cambridge House Grammar School.

The Ballymena native went on to be part of the 2022 and 2023 Ireland Under-20s Grand Slam-winning sides under Murphy, as well as being a member of the Ulster Rugby Academy, an opportunity to "mature and grow".

"It's probably a good thing I came the path I did. I was more raw when I started, getting to know different rules and the knowledge that I didn't have," said McNabney.

"If you had gone to more of a rugby school you'd have gone into that in more depth and not coming from that the more I get to know now the more I've excelled.

"Other people have maybe hit their ceiling whereas I'm moving on."

McNabney's laid-back approach to the game leaves him relatively unfazed by the prospect of facing Michael Cheika's English Premiership side but his determination to build on a URC win over Connacht in their last outing is clear.

"Every team you face are just 15 players and they are beatable so go out with confidence. I'll just take it in my stride and hopefully play well," he said.

"We know they're going to be a big physical side and we know what they're going to bring but you can only look at them so much because you need to focus on yourself and focus on the team.

"The win over Connacht was only one win. We need to back it up this week with a good performance."