Premiership: Bath 24-25 Leicester: Jamie Shillcock scores 20 points as Tigers stun leaders
- Published
Jamie Shillcock signed for Leicester Tigers this season in January, having had a spell in Japan after a short-term stint with Bath following the collapse of Worcester Warriors
Gallagher Premiership |
|---|
Bath: (8) 24 |
Tries: Muir, Dunn; Pens: Russell 4; Cons: Russell |
Leicester: (9) 25 |
Tries: Clare Pens: Shillcock 6 Cons: Shillcock |
Jamie Shillcock's penalty with the last kick of the game saw Leicester edge a thriller over Bath in the teeming rain.
Finn Russell had kicked Bath in front in the final minute but Jaco Coetzee dropped the restart and Tigers won a scrum penalty that Shillcock landed.
It was a scrappy game in foul weather and tries from Will Muir, Thomas du Toit and Russell's boot looked to have been enough for the home side.
But Tommy Reffell's try and Shillcock's 20 points saw the Tigers home.
The dramatic finale clinched Leicester's first win of the season, taking them off bottom spot, and inflicted a first defeat on Bath after two wins.
Shillcock kicked the day's first points before Bath scored from a scrum on Tigers' 22.
Russell ran the play left and cross-kicked perfectly for Muir to gather and slide into the left corner.
Shillcock landed two more penalties against his old club, the first from the halfway line, before Russell replied to trim the deficit to 9-8 at half-time.
The fly-haves exchanged further penalties after the break before Bath took a tap-and-go in front of the posts and prop du Toit eventually slid over.
Tigers' reply was swift as a strong rolling maul drove Reffell over, before Shillcock was on target again to give the visitors the lead once more.
As time ticked down, Russell chipped over the Leicester defence and Tigers' replacement scrum-half Joe Powell blocked Russell, conceding a penalty that the Scot sent over from in front of the posts.
But Coetzee's error from what should have been the final play saw the game slip from Bath's grasp. They remain top, but just a point clear of Exeter, who thrashed Sale 43-0 , while Harlequins pipped third-placed Bristol 23-21.
Leicester fly-half Jamie Shillcock told TNT Sports:
"That was a much-needed performance. Last year Bath won it at the death [19-18 in November 2022] but roles reversed this year and we stuck at it and those forwards winning the scrum penalty gave me the chance to win it.
"The conditions were horrible but kicker's go to kick his points and I missed one which was frustrating but happy to get that last one.
"I've worked a lot with our kicking coach and I just tried to stick to the plan and not worry about it."
Bath head coach Johann van Graan told BBC Radio Bristol:
"They were extremely tough conditions, both sides had a go at each other but it's hard to lose in the last play of the game.
"Ultimately we had control with a minute to go but once it's goes to that scrum it becomes difficult.
"I'd have to look at the decision again but it was extremely tough to scrum on this pitch today."
Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, Muir, Russell, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, du Toit; McNally, Ewels; Lee-Warner, Reid, Barbeary.
Replacements: Annett, Schoeman, Jonker, Richards, Coetzee, Schreuder, Bailey, Cloete.
Leicester: Brown; Bassett, Porter, Kelly, Hassell-Collins, Shillcock, Whiteley; Cronin, Clare, Heyes; Henderson, Wells; Liebenberg, Reffell, Rogerson.
Replacements: Dolly, Van Wyk, Hurd, Carter, Ilione, Powell, Atkinson, Cokanasiga.
Referee: Jack Makepeace (RFU)