Following a 36-19 victory for Leicester Tigers over Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, here’s our winners and losers from the Premiership clash that took place on Sunday.
Winners
Tommy Reffell
Player of the Match and rightly so as the Wales international led from the front in an impressive defensive effort from the Tigers as they move up to second in the table.
Reffell was a real thorn in the side of Bristol as he dominated the breakdown battle, which is his bread and butter and racked up the tackles too. Key moving forward.
Kalaveti Ravouvou
If you haven’t seen it yet, then sit back and enjoy the Fijian’s stunning offload to Gabriel Ibitoye that gave the wing a free run to the whitewash. It was top drawer.
Ravouvou also chipped in with a well-taken try as his tally for the Premiership season grows. What a signing he has been for the Bears and this was another fine shift.
Fijian star leaves fans GOBSMACKED with ‘outrageous’ Tamati Ellison-esque offload
Jack van Poortvliet
Has been edging nearer to his pre-injury best of late, and this was another step in the right direction from Van Poortvliet as he mixed his game nicely in a vital win.
While he might not be in the conversation for the British & Irish Lions, the Leicester scrum-half looks destined to play an important role for England in the summer.
David Kidwell
The Australian will be delighted with his side’s defensive showing on Sunday as they frustrated the usually deadly Bears throughout and thoroughly deserved their win.
Tigers set their stall out early on and the signs were positive as they repelled Bristol time and again, thus taking the confidence out of their hosts’ potent attack.
Bath
15 points clear at the end of the round, things couldn’t be looking any better for Bath in the Premiership right now. Injuries aside yesterday, they must be delighted.
Ollie Chessum
He might not have been outstanding, but for a first game back after a month out injured, this is very much a win for the returning Leicester and England star.
Leicester Tigers will need Chessum fully fit and firing if and when they make the play-offs and this was a positive first step in the second-row returning to his best.
Freddie Steward
One of his better performances in recent times, Steward was solid defensively, kicked well out of hand and also showed pace for his try in a confidence-boosting effort.
Hanro Liebenberg
Planet Rugby features editor Jared Wright has mentioned in his takeaways piece that Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus would do a lot worse than taking a look at the Tigers flank, with this another steely effort from the forward as he got through a mountain of work and was a rock in everything he did. A real focal point for Tigers.
Losers
Solomone Kata
Will be a relieved man as his yellow card for a head/shoulder on head tackle on Bears fly-half AJ MacGinty did not cost his side as they held on for the away victory.
However, it’s become an all too common theme of Kata’s game that cards appear to follow him and Leicester fans will want that rectified when it comes to the crunch games later in the season.
Gabriel Ibitoye
A tad harsh as there were moments of quality with ball in hand but Ibitoye will know there are aspects of this performance that he won’t be pleased with this evening.
The stray offload that went into the hands of Ollie Hassell-Collins and some disappointing backfield cover from the back three in general, these need to be ironed out.
Pat Lam
The Bristol boss will be hugely disappointed with this performance and the loss ultimately leaves them within touching distance of a dangerous Saracens in fifth spot.
A trip to Northampton next Saturday is a chance to get back on the horse, and it’s the perfect opportunity for the Bears to face Saints who may have one eye on Dublin.
Handre Pollard
Not his best outing despite being on the winning side, while it looked like he suffered an injury in the final knockings of the game as he was wrong-footed in defence.
Leicester and Springboks fans will be holding their breath, it is nothing serious and it Pollard‘s exit was just a precaution as boy do Leicester need him for their run-in.
Gabriel Oghre
Replaced by Lam for tactical reasons just 31 minutes as Harry Thacker emerged will have no doubt disappointed the starting hooker, who has had a solid season to date.
Oghre might have had an injury we’re unaware of – he appeared to be walking fine off the pitch – but if not it’s always tough to be replaced that early in a fixture.
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