LEICS
No.Name
15Telusa Veainu, FB
14Nick Malouf, W
T
13Matt Smith, C
12Matt To'omua, C
11Jonny May, W
T
10George Ford, FH
2
9Ben Youngs, SH
1Greg Bateman, P
2Tom Youngs, H
3Dan Cole, P
4Harry Wells, L
5Dom Barrow, L
6Mike Williams, FL
7Luke Hamilton, FL
8Sione Kalamafoni, N8
Replacements
16George McGuigan, R
17Kyle Traynor, R
18Chris Baumann, R
19Tino Mapapalangi, R
20Brendon O'Connor, R
21Sam Harrison, R
22Joe Ford, R
23Mathew Tait, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium
3:00 PM, September 30, 2017
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'20-13 End of second half
81'20-13 Penalty goal - Gareth Steenson , Exeter Chiefs
80'Bang in front, Steenson strokes it over and that's the losing bonus point. But it's Leicester who win, and they were made to work for it. That was a Tigers victory built on resolute defence and a clinical streak in their opponents' 22 that eluded Exeter.
80'Scrum penalty to Exeter! One last shot at the three points, and a losing BP.
80'Exeter initially look to have secured possession, but Ben Youngs manages to snaffle the ball before Foley blows his whistle for a scrum -- Leicester ball.
80'The penalty hits the upright!
80'Substitute on - Kyle Traynor , Leicester Tigers
80'Player substituted - Greg Bateman , Leicester Tigers
79'This time Steenson does take the three points, and the chance to get within seven.
78'Chiefs are still pressing for a try. The champions are around 10 metres out but with the Tigers defence holding firm, we're going back for a penalty.
76'Hill secure the lineout for Exeter, who are still pressing for another try and a losing bonus point. But again they lose the ball at the critical time. On this occasion it is a good tackle from Ford that knocks the ball out of Slade's hands.
74'Tigers win the penalty at the scrum and everything is going the hosts' way at the moment.
73'Elvis Taione cannot throw the ball in straight and Exeter have squandered another opportunity in the Tigers 22. That has been the story of their match, haven't turned territory into points.
73'Chiefs go back to the corner...
72'Hill gathers an attacking lineout for Exeter. Will Chudley hoists a crossfield kick, but there was a penalty coming.
71'Player substituted - Harry Wells , Leicester Tigers
71'Substitute on - Ben Youngs , Leicester Tigers
70'Excellent defence from Leicester and Brendon O'Connor comes up with the turnover.
69'Ford converts a difficult kick and Leicester are 10 points clear. Exeter need to find two scores.
69'Player substituted - Ben Youngs , Leicester Tigers
69'Substitute on - Sam Harrison , Leicester Tigers
69'Player substituted - Matt Smith , Leicester Tigers
69'Substitute on - Mathew Tait , Leicester Tigers
69'20-10 Conversion - George Ford , Leicester Tigers
67'TRY! Dollman knocks on as he tries to gather a Ben Youngs kick, Foley waves play on and Youngs finds May who powers over in the left corner. That's a huge try.
67'18-10 Try - Jonny May , Leicester Tigers
67'Substitute on - Max Bodilly , Exeter Chiefs
67'Player substituted - Phil Dollman , Exeter Chiefs
66'Substitute on - Sam Skinner , Exeter Chiefs
66'Player substituted - Dave Dennis , Exeter Chiefs
66'Player substituted - Stu Townsend , Exeter Chiefs
66'Substitute on - Will Chudley , Exeter Chiefs
66'Substitute on - Elvis Taione , Exeter Chiefs
66'Player substituted - Jack Yeandle , Exeter Chiefs
66'Substitute on - Tino Mapapalangi , Leicester Tigers
66'Player substituted - Mike Williams , Leicester Tigers
64'A lovely offload from Woodburn sets Dennis into the Leicester 22. Tigers still have two minutes with 14 men, but they steal the ball.
64'Scrappy lineout ball and Leicester survive, for now.
63'Tigers penalised for closing the gap in the lineout and Steenson turns down the chance to level the scores.
63'Substitute on - George McGuigan , Leicester Tigers
63'Player substituted - Tom Youngs , Leicester Tigers
62'Malouf penalised for an attempted trip on Woodburn. He didn't appear to make contact with his fellow win, but intent was definitely there.
62'Woodburn collects Ben Youngs' up and under and slaloms his way into the Tigers half. As Chiefs build through the phases they gain the advantage.
59'Exeter sense their chance. They force a turnover in their own half and look to break but the pass to Woodburn is forward.
59'Substitute on - Matt Kvesic , Exeter Chiefs
59'Player substituted - Julian Salvi , Exeter Chiefs
57'Veainu shown a yellow card, and the Chiefs have a penalty try. The pendulum swings back towards the Chiefs.
57'Substitute on - Brendon O'Connor , Leicester Tigers
57'Player substituted - Luke Hamilton , Leicester Tigers
57'Yellow card - Telusa Veainu , Leicester Tigers
57'13-10 Penalty try
56'Veainu could be in trouble here. With Chiefs threatening the Tigers line, and with an overlap, the fullback looks to have knocked on deliberately as Dollman looked to play in Turner.
55'Exeter have a big chance to get themselves right back into this, with a five metre lineout.
53'Player substituted - Tomas Francis , Exeter Chiefs
53'Substitute on - Harry Williams , Exeter Chiefs
53'Player substituted - Ben Moon , Exeter Chiefs
53'Substitute on - Alec Hepburn , Exeter Chiefs
49'13-3 Penalty goal - George Ford , Leicester Tigers
48'Veanu dives over the try line, but Foley's whistle had already blown for a forward pass. There was also a possible no-arms tackle in the build up from Moon.
46'Leicester momentum checked off the lineout but Mike Williams regathers possession and eventually Toomua kicks behind the Chiefs defence.
44'Slade takes the ball under huge pressure from May. Leicester look fired up at the start of the second half.
42'Excellent play from Veanu again to field a kick and then put the pressure back onto Exeter.
41'We're back underway at Welford Road, where the rain is pouring down.
41'10-3 End of first half
40'Steenson boots the ball out and that brings an end to the first half. The ebb and flow of the opening 40 minutes changed completely with the Salvi yellow card, but take nothing away from the Leicester performance. The Tigers weathered the early Exeter storm and took their chance when it presented itself. It should be a cracking second half.
40'No. The lineout is taken but as they set the drive the ball is lost forward.
40'10-3 Start of second half
39'Ford boots Leicester into the Exeter 22. Can the Tigers get another score before the break?
38'Exeter on the attack again, but they are driven back by the Leicester defence. Toomua with a huge hit on Jack Yeandle, and Tigers win the penalty.
37'With Exeter's defence holding firm, Ford sits back in the pocket for the drop goal -- and nails it.
37'10-3 Drop goal - George Ford , Leicester Tigers
36'Tigers building through the phases up towards the Exeter 22 but as Veanu adds pace to the attack, Kalamafoni's errant pass suck their momentum. Leicester retain possession though.
34'Ford clears for Leicester, as Salvi comes back on for Exeter. Bar the try, they would have been happy with how they coped with 14 men.
31'Exeter fans will undoubtedly think Malouf should be in the bin for that but referee Foley gives him the benefit of the doubt as Dollman landed on his right foot.
31'Dollman spots a gap, and goes through it to take Exeter back into the Leicester half but Turner is unable to gather his pass.

Jonny May runs the ball straight back, but finds his path blocked and as Dollman collects the clearing kick, Malouf clatters into him.
29'Leicester under pressure at a defensive lineout but they gather and Ben Youngs is able to clear.
27'7-3 Conversion - George Ford , Leicester Tigers
25'TRY! Sione Kalamafoni picks up from the base of the scrum, but is stopped just short of the Exeter line. Cole takes the ball up before Youngs spins play wide and Malouf comes onto the ball at pace, finishing with style in the right corner.
25'5-3 Try - Nick Malouf , Leicester Tigers
24'Dan Cole takes the ball on and after a couple of phases Leicester are over the Exeter line, but the ball has been held up.
23'Cheifs manage to clear their lines from the five metre lineout but it goes straight to Nick Malouf.

Veanu then storms through the middle of the Exeter defence as the home fans sense a Tigers try.
23'The Welford Road crowd don't like it, and Tom Foley opts to send Salvi to the bin against his former club.

The flanker definitely got his head in the wrong place but that looked a little harsh.
23'We've gone upstairs to the TMO to look at an overzealous clear out from Julian Salvi earlier in the move.
23'Yellow card - Julian Salvi , Exeter Chiefs
22'Exeter are within five metres of the Leicester line, but the ball is spilled forward and George Ford can boot the ball clear.

The chase is good, Turner is isolated and eventually Toomua attempts a crossfield kick that just alludes his teammate on the right wing.
21'Slade takes Exeter deep into the Leicester half before Johnny Hill continues the move into the 22. Chiefs will want some reward for all their territory in the first 20 minutes.
19'Slade takes Exeter back into the Leicester 22, but Wells seals another good turnover. The lock spills it, but it goes backwards and Tigers look to attack through Telusa Veainu.

The fullback knocks on to loud groans from the home crowd, though.
18'But they are unable to capitalise on it as the Chiefs earn the penalty a few phases later.
17'Harry Wells secures a good attacking turnover for Leicester in the Exeter half.
14'Tigers try a lineout move involving Ben Youngs, but it's scrappy ball and the scrum-half is unable to gather cleanly, and he knocks on.
13'Exeter again are unable to break into the Leicester 22, however, as Olly Woodburn is penalised for not releasing. Good defence from Tigers.
12'Some lovely hands from Dave Dennis set Tomas Francis through a half-gap in the Leicester defence. The prop is held up but manages to regain possession.
11'Exeter again into the Leicester 22, but they are unable to break the Tigers defence and eventually a knock on cedes possession.
10'That pressure is realised, however, as the Tigers concede another penalty and Steenson again boots Chiefs deep into opposing territory.
9'Exeter again look to build possession into the Tigers half but the Leicester line speed is good and after a midfield fumble from Ian Whitten, Nick Malouf puts the pressure on with a good tackle.
6'Leicester's turn to enjoy a spell of possession but Matt Toomua is caught on halfway and as they play comes left, the Tigers cough up the ball to Exeter.
5'0-3 Penalty goal - Gareth Steenson , Exeter Chiefs
4'As the Exeter attack starts to lose momentum, Ben Youngs steps in and thinks he's stolen a turnover, but it's still a ruck and the Chiefs have a kickable penalty.
3'Exeter have a scrum deep inside the Leicester half.
1'We're underway at Welford Road. Exeter earn an early penalty for offside and Gareth Steenson will boot the Chiefs deep into Tigers territory.
1'Some even later team news as Ellis Genge has suffered a knock in the warm-up. Greg Bateman comes in for the England prop.
1'
1'
1'Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Aviva Premiership clash between Leicester Tigers and champions Exeter Chiefs.

The big news ahead of kick off is that Chiefs have been forced into a late change. Jack Nowell failed a late fitness test and misses out, so Phil Dollman is drafted in at fullback with Lachie Turner switching to the right wing.
1'0-0 Start of first half