For immediate release: Tuesday 25th April 2006
Issued on behalf of Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers Development XV retained the GUINNESS A LEAGUE championship in front of a record-breaking crowd at Welford Road.

Tigers clinched a thrilling 26-17 win over Harlequins Development XV after tries in the last 10 minutes from Scott Bemand and Tom Croft enabled them to overturn the 34-32 deficit they had from the first leg at the Twickenham Stoop seven days earlier.

A crowd of 12,769, the highest for any second team game in Europe, watched the drama unfold. Tigers were trailing 17-14 in the third quarter after two tries in the space of five minutes from the visitors. But their late show brought the trophy back to Welford Road.

Tigers went into the break leading 14-3 and nine points ahead on aggregate after tries from Rob Springall and Will Skinner inside the opening quarter.
Quins brought on winger Simon Keogh - the leading try scorer in National League One this season - and the visitors missed a chance to trim the deficit when Adrian Jarvis sent his 46th minute penalty wide of the posts. Quins grabbed the first try two minutes later when Pablo Bouza crossed and Jarvis converted to close the gap to 14-10 and leave his side trailing by just two points on aggregate.

Keogh then put Quins ahead after 53 minutes with a stunning solo try. He received the ball just inside his own half, kicked over the top and beat Leicester's defenders to touch down between the posts for a try that Jarvis converted to make the score 17-14 to Quins. Tigers fly half Ian Humphreys was denied a sensational try in the 68th minute.
He made the break from inside his own 22, swapped passes with Matt Cornwell and then kicked through, but was beaten in a race for the ball by Quins winger Charlie Amesbury.

Leicester stayed on the front foot and Bemand found a way through for a try after 70 minutes that Humphreys converted to put Tigers back in front at 21-17. Bemand then helped create the decisive final try in the dying moments. Humphreys' penalty into touch five metres from the line set up a catch and drive. Tigers were unable to force their way over until Bemand's clever reverse pass sent Croft over for the fourth try.

Tigers had wiped out the two-point deficit from the first leg within five minutes of the kick off. Leicester had already been held up just short of the line when Matt Smith orchestrated the opening try. He made a midfield break, cut inside and supplied the pass for Springall to cross. Humphreys added the conversion to make it 7-0.

Skinner just failed to hang on to an interception that would have led to a certain try moments later and his quick thinking led to Leicester's second try after 12 minutes. He picked up when Quins turned the ball over and set off on a 65-metre run for the line. The young flanker outpaced the last defender to touch down and Humphreys added the conversion from near the left-hand touchline.

Quins were denied their first points after 16 minutes when Jarvis saw his penalty attempt come back off the woodwork. The fly half tried his luck again three minutes later and slotted his penalty between the posts to give Quins their only score of the first half.