LEICESTER — Leicester Tigers recovered from a disastrous start to battle back and beat Gloucester 38-31 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road to secure their first home win of the season and retain the Slater Cup in front of the Duke of Sussex.
The Cherry and Whites capitalised while Billy Searle was in the sin-bin early on, with Jac Morgan and Dian Bleuler both touching down to seize the initiative. Leicester hit back emphatically before the break as Finn Carnduff, Joe Heyes and Jamie Blamire all crossed, with Searle converting all three to give the hosts a 21-14 lead at half-time.
Aaron Wainwright and Ollie Hassell-Collins scored either side of Will Trenholm's try for Gloucester after the interval, with Searle adding two further conversions and a penalty to complete five conversions in total. Gloucester, beaten for the first time this season, ensured they remain top of the Prem after securing two bonus points when replacement Jack Innard went over and George Barton landed an 82nd-minute penalty, with Englefield and Barton sharing four conversions.
The fixture was played for the Slater Cup, which honours former Gloucester and Tigers captain Ed Slater, who retired in 2022 after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2022, and Prince Harry's attendance added to the sense of occasion at Welford Road. Leicester started with Steward; Hamer-Webb, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle; Van Poortvliet (c); Van der Flier, Blamire, Heyes; Carnduff, Henderson, Wainwright, Reffell, Cracknell, while Gloucester fielded Redshaw; Thorley, Joseph, Atkinson, Loader; Atkinson, Englefield; Bleuler, Lake (c), Fasogbon; Kleyn, Thomas, Ludlow, Morgan, Trenholm.