Handre Pollard (C) of Leicester Tigers celebrates with team mates after scoring their third try during the Champions Cup match between Leicester Tigers and DHL Stormers at the Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Leicester, England. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images
Handre Pollard scored a 20-point haul as Leicester Tigers survived a stunning performance from the DHL Stormers in the opening round of the Champions Cup on Sunday.
What was meant to be one-way traffic for the Springbok-powered hosts, facing a Stormers team made of a mix between veterans and youth, turned into a real armwrestle as the visitors gave way more than expected at Welford Road.
Ultimately, a sensational performance from Handre Pollard – including a self-converted second-half try – guided Leicester to a 35-26 victory, with the Stormers missing out on what would have been more than a deserved bonus point.
Despite the opening-round defeat, John Dobson will be delighted with the fight his Stormers side showed, as they took the game right down to the wire and forced plenty of errors from the international-laden Tigers.
Debutant flyhalf Jurie Matthee produced a showing beyond his years, showing plenty of composure by nailing a drop-goal, two conversions and three penalties in his battle with fellow Paarl Gimnasium old boy Pollard.
It was the World Cup-winning Springbok who had the decisive touch though, as he threw an incredible flat pass out wide to put Josh Bassett over for Leicester’s bonus-point try, which also denied the Stormers a point in the final play of the game.
The visitors will rue a somewhat harsh yellow card to prop Lee-Marvin Mazibuko for a tackle that slipped up on a ducking Jasper Wiese, which the Springbok No 8 certainly made the most of.
However, they still had a late opportunity to snatch a potential upset win with a penalty five metres-out with five minutes to play. After the Stormers opted for a scrum, with their lineout creaking, Leicester produced an almighty shove to win a crucial penalty, surviving what was the away side’s last go at a score.
The Stormers next take on defending champions La Rochelle, in what will be their first game of the season at the refurbished Cape Town Stadium, next Saturday, but will do so knowing they have effectively bolstered their depth.
This article first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
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