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30th April 2021
09:59pm BST
Iain Henderson drives forward with the ball to score his team's first try during the Challenge Cup match between Leicester Tigers and Ulster Rugby at Welford Road. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)[/caption]
The Leicester response, by Steve Borthwick, was to make some changes in his pack. It looked to be working out, early in the second half, but Ulster were first hit by the crucial loss of John Cooney.
The scrumhalf, who had looked excellent up until that point, was badly clocked by a swinging forearm from Nemani Nadolo and dropped in a heap. The Fijian winger was not penalised for the collision as Cooney was had dipped low for the ball, but the loss of the No.9 did seem to hurt the visitors.
Leicester sensed a change in momentum and it was Nadolo breaking tackles that set them up for a try-scoring chance that No.8 Jasper Wiese converted. Ford made it a one-point game, six minutes later, and Leicester were ahead after 54 minutes when Ellis Genge crossed the white-wash, out on the left wing.
When Ford slotted a drop goal, on 61 minutes, Tigers had scored 20 unanswered points and it was Ulster that had little if no answers to what was facing them.
That was until the 68th minute, when Nick Timoney played his hand.
The Ulster No.8 put on the afterburners after Stuart McCloskey slipped him through a dog-legged gap in the Leicester backline. His pace got him past three defenders but he still needed to stretch to get the ball down and make it a contest again. Mike Lowry, on for Burns, slotted the conversion.
The killer, though, was delivered by George Ford. His superb pass helped tee up Guy Porter for a try in the corner and he then stepped up to nail a conversion that made it a two-score game.
Our Man of the Match: George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
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