Summary

  • Full-time: Leicester 23-27 Bath

  • Live text and radio commentary

  • First weekend of the 2017-18 season

  • Bristol beat Hartpury 26-15 in the Championship

  • Get involved using #bbcrugby

Live Reporting

Alex Winter

  1. Get Involved via #bbcrugby

    HT: Leicester 8-21 Bath

    Andrew Priestley: Leicester Tigers doing a fantastic self-sabotage job in the latter stages of the first half

    What did you make of the first 40 minutes, folks?

  2. HT: Leicester 8-21 Bath

    Dave Egerton
    Former Bath and England number eight on BBC Radio Bristol

    Bath have come up to Welford Road and taken the game to Leicester. They weathered the storm and took the lead when they finally got themselves organised. They've taken their chances when they've got them.

    Leicester will be shocked by the intensity of Bath. George Ford and Leicester have been trying too hard and being a little too intricate.

  3. Half-time

    Leicester 8-21 Bath

    Just a little short on top-class quality but an entertaining first 40.

    When Manu Tuilagi went over, Leicester looked well-placed to kick-on and take control of the game but Bath have taken advantage of errors to score three times through Max Clark's brace and Semesa Rokoduguni.

    Bath have only won once in the Premiership at Welford Road - way back in November 2003. Can they end the run here?

  4. Ford at fault?

    Leicester 8-21 Bath

    Dave Egerton
    Former Bath and England number eight on BBC Radio Bristol

    Leicester are certainly not as strong up front as we all thought they would be.

    But how much was that a mistake by George Ford, really?

    He might just be trying to impress the home fans a bit too much, to his side's detriment.

  5. try

    Try (Rokoduguni, con Priestland)

    Leicester 8-21 Bath

    Tigers playing cute in the Bath 22 with Ben Youngs and George Ford trying ambitious offloads. The latter is intercepted by Semesa Rokoduguni who sets off 80 yards from the line.

    Telusa Veainu and Jonny May give chase but the big Bath man has the gas,

    Extraordinary, a third try for Bath and a good lead approaching half-time.

  6. try

    Try (Clark, con Priestland)

    Leicester 8-14 Bath

    Bath celebrateRex Features

    Telusa Veainu called for being off-side at a ruck on half-way. Rhys Priestland finds the corner and despite the maul going down straight away, Bath pick and drive along the try line and eventually a pass inside finds Max Clark and he's in for a second score.

    Priestland can back-heel the conversion over and suddenly Bath are ahead.

  7. 'A quick response'

    Leicester 8-7 Bath

    Dave Egerton
    Former Bath and England number eight on BBC Radio Bristol

    It was a classic case of the blindside winger for Leicester not closing down the blindside. Bath saw the gap and took advantage. Matt Banahan did really well there.

    That's what Bath needed - a quick response.

  8. try

    Try (Clark, con Priestland)

    Leicester 8-7 Bath

    Max ClarkRex Features

    Rhys Priestland takes a good high ball around half-way and offloads to Matt Banahan who suddenly finds an empty channel down the left wing.

    On he goes into the 22 and a simple pass inside to Max Clark sees Bath respond immediately.

    A simple conversion for Priestland.

  9. try

    Try (Tuilagi)

    Leicester 8-0 Bath

    Good work down the left wing from Jonny May's dancing feet just creates enough space for Telusa Veainu to draw the last defender and feed Manu Tuilagi for a comeback try in the corner.

    George Ford can't convert from the touchline.

    Manu TuilagiRex Features

  10. Leicester 3-0 Bath

    Bath immediately respond with a few phases and the back-row work the fringes well.

    But yet another handling error - this from Luke Charteris - coughs up possession.

  11. Penalty (Ford)

    Leicester 3-0 Bath

    The scrum penalty goes against Bath loosehead Ben Obano and this time there's no Leicester debate and George Ford opens the scoring with a simple chance.

  12. Leicester 0-0 Bath

    Again Bath defend the maul well but another penalty gives Leicester a simple chance in front of the post...

    ...but they take a quick-tap! Several phases batter the line before Leicester butcher a three-on-two out wide.

    They do get an attacking scrum 10 yards from the line though.

  13. BBC radio commentary

    Leicester 0-0 Bath

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    Don't forget you can also listen to audio commentary of this match from your choice of BBC local radio station, either online or on your radio if you're in one of the local areas.

  14. Leicester 0-0 Bath

    Excellent kick-chase from Leicester sees pressure at the breakdown and a fourth penalty against Bath already. George Ford kicks to the corner...

  15. Leicester 0-0 Bath

    Bath with the territory in the early stages and Matt Banahan feeds Francois Louw down the left wing but he can't quite take in the pass when space might have opened.

    Leicester then have good ball off the top of a line-out and again Telusa Veainu is looking dangerous before the latest of the handling errors sees the move break down.

  16. Leicester 0-0 Bath

    A brief glimpse of what this Leicester back-line could do. First Telusa Veainu down the left wing and then the first break of the game as Matt Toomua ghosts through two defenders down the right flank.

    Comes to nothing though and there are several handling errors early here.

  17. Kick-off

    Leicester 0-0 Bath

    BadgesGetty Images

    Rhys Priestland gets us under way on a cloudy East Midlands day with Bath playing towards the East Stand in the first-half.

  18. Listen on BBC radio

    Leicester v Bath (15:00 BST)

    As well as following this live text service, you can also listen to your choice of BBC radio commentary on this match by clicking on the audio icons at the top of this page.

    Additionally, commentary of Bristol's first game back in the Championship - against second-tier newcomers Hartpury - is also available above.

  19. Get involved via #bbcrugby

    Leicester v Bath (15.00 BST)

    Mighty Leicester have been through their ups and downs in recent campagins, but is this squad now good enough to kick-on and really challenge Saracens, Wasps and Exeter this season?

    And for Bath, after an improved but ultimately somewhat disappointing 2016-17, are they genuine title contenders this term, or realistically just mid-table men?

    You can have your say via #bbcrugby on social media.

  20. Returning Lions

    Leicester v Bath (15.00 BST)

    Bath have their own bunch of high-profile stars including British and Irish Lions trio Taulupe Faletau, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson.

    But it's lesser names that could make the real difference to Bath this season, with Tom Dunn - fit to start at hooker - very much among them.

    The man who Bath received in return for George Ford - Freddie Burns - is only on the bench.

    Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Clark, Banahan; Priestland, Cook; Obano, Dunn, Palma-Newport, Charteris, Stooke, Garvey (capt), Louw, Faletau.

    Replacements: Walker, Auterac, Perenise, Phillips, Grant, Fotuali'i, Burns, Tapuai.

    Jonathan JosephGetty Images