Tigers let it slip

Alesana Tuilagi: hat-trick of tries for Leicester

Premiership leaders Leicester gifted Gloucester a draw with the last play of the game in a thriller at Welford Road.

Tigers were leading 41-34 with just 12 seconds on the clock and had possession inside Gloucester's half.

A kick into touch or one more ruck would have ended the game, but Jeremy Staunton's airy pass to Thomas Waldrom was intercepted by Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, who raced 70 metres to score by the posts.

Freddie Burns converted to ensure the highest-scoring draw in Premiership history and the most points Leicester have ever conceded on home soil in a league game.

And to be fair Gloucester deserved a share of the spoils after playing their part to the full at a sun-drenched Welford Road.

Tigers wing Alesana Tuilagi scored three tries in 14 minutes to ruthlessly overturn an interval deficit, but Gloucester drew level at 34-34 before Leicester centre Billy Twelvetrees claimed what appeared to be a winning score midway through the final quarter.

Third-placed Gloucester led 17-13 at the break following touchdowns from full-back Olly Morgan and Fuimaono-Sapolu, but Tuilagi then cut loose as he took his Premiership try tally this season to 10.

England fly-half Toby Flood converted Tuilagi's treble and also added the extras to an early Scott Hamilton score and Twelvetrees' touchdown, while two penalties meant he finished with 16 points.

Gloucester though, confirmed their status as probable play-off qualifiers, with flanker Andy Hazell and substitute centre Tim Molenaar adding second-half tries before Fuimaono-Sapolu and Burns provided the finishing touches.

Like Flood, Burns ended with 16 points, and Gloucester will feel disappointed that victory eluded them after stretching champions Leicester to the limit.

The visitors needed just six minutes to make their presence felt, storming into the lead when Morgan sprinted over from 30 metres after Fuimaono-Sapolu's pass sent him clear.

Burns added the extras, yet Leicester drew level within two minutes through a try that had its origins in Tigers prop Martin Castrogiovanni chasing a steepling Twelvetrees kick.

The Italy international forced a turnover and Leicester swiftly moved possession wide for Hamilton to cross.

Flood converted from the touchline and then kicked a penalty as Leicester edged ahead, but Gloucester soon regained the lead.

Creator

Burns was the creator of their second try, taking a quick penalty that caught Leicester's defence on the hop and enabled the equally-dangerous Fuimaono-Sapolu to touch down without a Tigers player touching him.

A Burns conversion made it 14-10, and although a Flood penalty cut the deficit, Gloucester were good value for their advantage as Burns' opening three-pointer confirmed an interval lead.

Leicester came out firing for the second period though, and Tuilagi crashed over from close-range before blasting through a retreating Gloucester defence less than two minutes later.

Flood converted both scores to put Tigers in charge, and they sensed a bonus point despite Burns' second penalty making it 27-20.

There appeared no way back when Tuilagi rounded off a sweeping handling move to complete his hat-trick, yet a brilliant Matt Cox pass enabled his back-row colleague Hazell to scamper away and ensure a tense closing quarter.

And Gloucester were not finished, as Molenaar's touchdown - converted by Burns - hauled them level before Tigers number eight Thomas Waldrom stormed clear and sent Twelvetrees over.

That should have settled it, but for a moment of uncharacteristic sloppiness from Leicester at the death.