LEICS
No.Name
15Geordan Murphy, FB
14Scott Hamilton, W
13Ayoola Erinle, C
12Dan Hipkiss, C
11Johne Murphy, W
10Sam Vesty, FH
9Julien Dupuy, SH
1Marcos Ayerza, P
2George Chuter, H
3Julian White, P
4Tom Croft, L
5Ben Kay, L
6Craig Newby, FL
7Ben Woods, FL
8Jordan Crane, N8
T
Replacements
16Benjamin Kayser, H
17Dan Cole, P
18Louis Deacon, -
19Lewis Moody, FL
20Harry Ellis, -
21Matt Smith, W
22Tom Varndell, -

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Twickenham
5:30 PM, May 16, 2009
Attendance: 81,601
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'10-9 End of half
81'10-9 End of second half
80'Leicester counting down the clock in possession - Dupuy bangs the ball in to touch and it's all over. The Tigers have banished their Twickenham blues to become Champions of England for a record eighth time.
79'Exiles run from deep, Catt chips over the defence but Murphy is there. Dupuy kicks and it's marked by Armitage - who ridiculously kicks the ball long to the waiting Tigers defence.
78'Mapusua's cutout pass is poor and picked off by Smith - who hacks it in to touch. Tigers defence is superb.
77'Tigers are running down the clock, slow and steady from Dupuy. It's a penalty for Irish as the Tigers go off their feet. Catt clears.
76'Vesty puts an awesome kick in to pin the Exiles back to five metres from their line. Ball is loose and falls for Newby, dropped backwards by Vesty. Kayser carries around the fringes. Erinle is again a willing runner, Hipkiss takes the ball but it's static.
75'Crane claims the lineout, Leicester roll a maul and the Exiles are pinged on halfway.
75'Player substituted - Julian White , Leicester Tigers
75'Substitute on - Dan Cole , Leicester Tigers
74'Lineout is messy and picked off by the Exiles, Catt clears superbly to touch.
74'Player substituted - Clarke Dermody , London Irish
74'Substitute on - Gary Johnson , London Irish
73'Vesty has the ball in midifield, looks to break. Dupuy puts a superb kick in behind the Irish defence - Catt is caught in possession by Erinle and bundled in to touch.
72'Armitage's kick is good - it's not over yet. It is uncontested scrums however as Irish are out of props - always a shame. Tigers will be livid.
72'10-9 Penalty goal - Delon Armitage , London Irish
72'Substitute on - James Buckland , London Irish
72'Player substituted - Danie Coetzee , London Irish
71'Penalty given to Irish at the scrum this time - on halfway and in front of the posts. Armitage is stepping up.
70'Vesty finds a good touch with the Tigers growing in stature. Ball goes in to midfield but Erinle loses it forward.
69'Huge scrum from the Tigers. Penalty given.
68'Catt finds Mapusua with a lateral pass, Catt comes for the return pass but knocks on under pressure.
67'Steffon Armitage carries, Mike Catt is also in support.
66'Coetzee throws and gets it back. Hodgson kicks high - Muprhy claims. Hamilton throws an awful pass over the head of Hipkiss on his 22 - it's straight in to touch. Bad mistake.
65'Leicester take the quick lineout, Dupuy feeds Vesty who clears down the middle. Armitage returns before Murphy finds a decent touch on halfway.
64'Dupuy clears to Armitage who kicks long, Vesty returns. Catt clears to touch.
64'Substitute on - Alex Corbisiero , London Irish
64'Player substituted - Richard Skuse , London Irish
63'Loose passing from the Exiles - ball is lost with a foolish offload under pressure.
63'10-6 Conversion - Julien Dupuy , Leicester Tigers
63'Player substituted - Peter Hewat , London Irish
63'Substitute on - Elvis Seveali'i , London Irish
62'Croft claims the restart. Ball is cleared to Catt. Tagicakibau takes on Matt Smith, Armitage takes the offload but there' an accidental offside from the Tigers.
62'8-6 Try - Jordan Crane , Leicester Tigers
61'Newby finds Erinle, who makes yards with a swirling run. Smith cuts inside, Crane has the ball and reaches out - looks like he's scored. Upstairs to the TMO. It's been given - big moment for the Tigers.
60'Tigers have the ball in midfield, Kayser carries. Irish defence is firm.
60'Player substituted - Ben Woods , Leicester Tigers
60'Substitute on - Lewis Moody , Leicester Tigers
59'Exiles have the ball, Hodgson clears with a box kick.
58'Hewat finds Delon Armitage, who throws a poor pass to Homer. Hewat puts an awful kick in behind, cleaned up by Hamilton - cleared way back in to Irish territory.
58'Player substituted - George Chuter , Leicester Tigers
58'Substitute on - Benjamin Kayser , Leicester Tigers
57'Hala'ufia picks up at the base and sends Steffon Armitage clear down the wing.
56'13th phase now, Smith makes some yards. Ball goes to Hamilton and the Kiw knocks on under pressure from Tagicakibau.
55'Ball heads into midfield but Hipkiss is smashed by Homer, ball slows down. Tigers go backwards.
54'Vesty snipes off good lineout ball but the defence is good. Forwards carry for the Tigers. Vesty tries for the break again. Men over for the Tigers, Woods creates some space.
53'Dupuy finds Vesty. The scrum-half snipes at the base, ball is slowed. Turnover to Irish - superb work on the floor. Armitage clears.
52'Vesty finds Hamilton on a superb angle - the Kiwi is tap-tackled but Hipkiss carries on his work with a jinking run deep into Irish territory.
51'Hala'ufia claims the lineout but Hodgson puts the ball out on the full
50'Irish have a penalty at the scrum. Catt kicks a conservative touch.
49'Hala-ufia collects the restart and bursts through several tackles. Feeds Coetzee but Hipkiss intercepts from the Springbok. He breaks - but the ball is lost in contact.
49'3-6 Penalty goal - Delon Armitage , London Irish
48'Armitage has landed this one - a deserved lead for the Exiles.
47'Tigers run the ball back through Hipkiss - but Ayerza gives away a penalty for going in at the side. Armitage lines the kick up despite Homer having entered the fray.
46'Tigers miss touch - Catt puts the high ball up but Murphy calls the mark and clears to Hewat.
45'Scrum is re-set. Hodgson finds Mapusua - who is pinged for holding on inches short.
44'Fine hands by Hewat and Hodgson finds Delon Armitage who chips in behind and chases. Hamilton beats him to the ball and concedes the five metre scrum.
43'Ben Kay claims the lineout. Ball is cleared to Tagicakibau, who finds Mapusua.
42'Tigers secure the ball and run a set move. Vesty finds Hipkiss but the ball is then intercepted by Homer and Hewaty clears long. Matt Smith puts up a speculative high ball and loses the ball - Catt pins the Tigers back in to their own 22.
41'Smith breaks clear of his marker, breaks in to space but slips. Tigers lose the ball on the floor - Hodgson finds Hewat who clears.
41'Substitute on - Richard Thorpe , London Irish
41'Player substituted - Declan Danaher , London Irish
41'Player substituted - Adam Thompstone , London Irish
41'Substitute on - Tom Homer , London Irish
41'3-3 End of first half
40'Two changes for the Exiles - Danaher and Thompstone are off with injuries. Thorpe and Homer are the replacements. Homer takes the restart but his kick is charged down. Hamilton carries. Dupuy finds Vesty, Matt Smith carries well.
40'Hodgson goes to Mapusua, ball is knocked clear in the tackle by a Tigers hand. That's half time. The Exiles don't get their try but will be a man up for the start of the second half.
40'3-3 Start of second half
40'Yellow card - Jordan Crane , Leicester Tigers
39'Hodgson goes on his own and is caught, Mapusua goes close. The whistle goes - and it's a yellow card for Crane who goes in at the side of the maul. Can be no complaints from the Tigers.
38'Scrum is up, take two. Hala'ufia picks and drives, Hodgson finds Steffon Armitage. Penalty in front of the posts - warning for Vesty as he is offside. Casey again goes for the scrum.
37'Hodgson finds Hewat, advantage. Catt finds Steffon Armitage who is driven in to touch. Back for the advantage, and Casey has opted for the scrum.
36'Hodgson finds Mapusua, ball is knocked on by a Leicester hand. Pressure needs to be converted by the Exiles here.
35'Vesty clears to Steffon Armitage, who claims a high ball moment later in the Tigers 22. Ball is chipped through by Mapusua, Armitage is after it but Murphy just gets there to concede the five-metre scrum.
34'Tigers make a real mess of the Irish scrum and reclaim the ball to let Murphy off the hook. Another aimless kick from Vesty is followed up by another from Hewat.
33'Murphy restarts but the ball is out on the full.
32'Armitage has pulled his kick wide again, a third miss for the Exiles.
31'Hamilton comes off his wing and takes the ball into contact, but is penalised for holding on. Irish penalty.
30'Casey claims at the lineout but this time it's Coetzee whose throw is skewed.
29'Chuter's throw is again not straight. Scrum is re-set. Hodgson finds Mapusua on a good angle, Erinle again charges down a grubber from Catt. Ball goes in to touch.
28'Croft claims the lineout, ball changed hands with a pair of kicks before Vesty clears long. Hewat bangs the ball long in to touch to set up position.
27'Crane controls at the base of the scrum, Vesty clears long. Hewat returns to touch in behind Hamilton.
26'Free kick to Irish at the scrum, Hala'ufia powers through three tackles, Mapusua finds Tagicakibau but the ball goes out of play. Pace and power from Irish, it's genuine pressure on the Tigers now.
25'Hewat finds James Hudson at pace, Exiles ticking now. Armitage gets the ball but as it's spread wide Steffon Armitage loses it forward.
24'Geordan Murphy slices a kick downfield and Tagicakibau picks the pace up on the way back.
23'Hewat's hit the post, poor effort from the ex-Waratah.
22'Ben Woods gives away a penalty, Hodgson takes a quick tap, Tagicakibau races clear for the first time. Ben Kay is offside and it's an eminently kickable chance for Hewat and the Exiles.
21'Chuter throws in, but it's not straight.
21'Player substituted - Johne Murphy , Leicester Tigers
21'Substitute on - Matt Smith , Leicester Tigers
20'Exiles have it, but Leicestr are competing well at the ruck. Hodgson box kicks but Irish are pinged for going off their feet.
19'Dupuy misses the kick from out wide, a definite let-off. Johne Murphy limps off after an injury in the warm-up, Matt Smith is his replacement.
18'Ball is safe for the Tigers, Dan Hipkiss shreds the Irish defence with s superb step, Geordan and Johne Murphy hare forward in support. Ball goes down in a ruck, and Irish are again penalised on the floor. A talking to follows for Bob Casey.
18'3-3 Penalty goal - Julien Dupuy , Leicester Tigers
17'Catt restarts, Murphy again in control of the ball. Tigers win the penalty as Chris Hala'ufia goes off his feet.
16'Dupuy lines up the kick, it's good from in front.
15'Mapusua is handed the ball from the scrum, before Catt clears to Murphy. Ball is fed back inside, Jordan Crane carries well before Wayne Barnes' whistle sounds for an early tackle. Tigers' penalty.
14'Ball goes wide from Irish, sloppy hands allow Erinle to hack the ball downfield. The two Murphies swap passes before the ball finds Vesty and is knocked on by Croft.
13'Hodgson clears up at the lineout, Armitage takes the ball up in midifield. Catt kicks through the Tigers line, Murphy claims the ball and slices to gain a couple of metres for the Exiles.
12'Catt again tests the Leicester back three, but the ball rolls in-goal and is called as a 22. Dupuy and Crane made a mess of leaving the ball to each other there.
11'Armitage strikes the ball well, but pushes it wide. Had the distance but a poor attempt from in front of the sticks.
10'Ball finds Armitage in midfield, Dermody and Danaher carry well. Referee Wayne Barnes blows for a penalty as the Tigers fail to roll away. Delon Armitage will try his luck from range.
9'Catt finds a good touch from the penalty, pushing play in to Tigers' territory.
8'Tigers stream forward but a good break is spoiled by knock on from Irish. Ball is fed into the scrum, Tigers spin the ball in to the centre and are pinged for crossing. Armitage takes a hit and is down.
7'Hodgson feeds, Catt accepts the ball and kicks crossfield. Hamilton takes a quick one, finds Murphy who returns the ball out wide to Hamilton.
6'Hipkiss takes the ball wide, Erinle finds a half gap. Ball finds Croft in space, but his flip pass is a little loose and the ball is lost forward.
5'Chuter throws in to a messy lineout. Ball is tied up in the ruck, high ball finds Murphy in centre field.
4'Coetzee finds his man. Hodgson feeds Catt who finds a decent touch thanks to a slip from Murphy.
3'Dupuy checks his options on the Irish 22, Erinle sets up possession. Vesty puts a grubber in behind Hewat for a lineout five metres out.
2'Hodgson feeds, Catt clears as far as Johne Murphy. Geordan Murphy crosses the gainline. Ayerza carries up the middle.
1'From the restart, the Exiles lose the ball in a lineout. Knock on - and the Tigers have the put in in the opposition 22. Free kick - quick tap taken but knocked on.
1'The Guinness Premiership season is set for a dramatic finale at Twickenham this afternoon, with Leicester Tigers facing off against London Irish. The Tigers have timed their run to the final perfectly and are in the hunt for a domestic and European double, while Toby Booth's plucky Exiles will be looking to their veteran fly-half Mike Catt for inspiration. Join us for all the action at 16.30 GMT. Geordan Murphy and Bob Casey have lead their sides out past the pyrotechnics at HQ, and the capacity crowd is in fine voice. Catt has the ball in his hands, and we're underway. Ball is claimed by Murphy. Vesty clears to Hewat - who lands a sensational long-range drop goal with 30 seconds on the clock.
1'0-3 Drop goal - Peter Hewat , London Irish
1'0-0 Start of first half