Leicester defeated Sale Sharks in an enthralling match at Welford Road on Saturday afternoon to book their place in the Premiership final.
Here is how we rated the Leicester players.
Backs
15 Freddie Steward: He won his first aerial battle with Tom Roebuck and didn’t look back. His defensive display was near perfect, becoming Leicester’s all-important final roadblock. He made a huge try-saving tackle with just 10 minutes to play, and later caused Luke Cowan-Dickie to knock the ball on in the tackle, ending the match. A giant performance from the giant fullback. 8
14 Adam Radwan: He stepped three to score his first try, and flew through the air to score his second. His star faded somewhat in the second half, however, due to a lack of involvement. He also took a Sale player out in the air, which he was fortunate the visitors did not score from. 7
13 Solomone Kata: A mighty performance by the hot-stepping centre. Each time he got the ball, he looked to threaten the Sale defence, either with his direct running or soft passes into space. A key cog in Leicester’s machine. 8
12 Joseph Woodward: A very quiet game for the young centre, touching the ball only a handful of times. Defensively, he wasn’t much better, making just the one tackle in his time on the field. He will wish to have more of an impact in the final. 4
11 Oliver Hassell-Collins: The former London Irish speedster had an abrupt start to the match, being smashed into touch by his opposite number Tom Roebuck straight from the kick-off. He recovered well, however, later winning his team a penalty under the high ball against his rival. He looked threatening down the left wing when he was given the opportunity. 5
Half-Backs
10 Handre Pollard: A confidently kicked first penalty looked to have set the tone for the rest of the match, particularly when an extraordinarily accurate kick to the corner just moments later put Sale under immense pressure. While it’s true that, out of hand, he was on top form, his goal kicking left a lot to be desired, missing the majority of his efforts, including a very poorly taken drop goal. He will be pleased with his crosskick to set up Radwan’s second try, however, plus his impressive 50:22 just before halftime. 7
9 Jack van Poortvliet: Looked panicked under pressure, inexcusably giving an interception pass off the back of a scrum. He has to be credited for his vision that set up Radwan’s try, however. At his best, he was indicative of everything good about Leicester, setting the pace and making those little gaps that gave the Tigers the upper hand. At his worst, he was out of control and struggled to find the right target. 5
Forwards
8 Olly Cracknell: The bruising number eight topped the carry charts with 20, regularly smashing through the Sale defence. He did give away a needless penalty late in the second half, however, when he was caught offside after running back lazily. 7
7 Tommy Reffell: Defensively, he was solid, making eight tackles and missing none. He was guilty of losing a couple of turnovers, however, which will be something he will want to tighten up on ahead of next week’s match against Bath. 5
6 Hanro Liebenberg: It was a busy afternoon for the giant flanker, as he put his body on the line with some huge hits, not to mention some impressively soft hands. He made a vital breakaway which would eventually lead to Leicester’s first try. 7
5 Ollie Chessum: Besides his regular offloads and confident carries, his major impact was in the lineout. Winning an impressive nine, Chessum provided the base for Leicester to work off. A sacked lineout with just five minutes to go, leading to a Leicester penalty, symbolised his importance. 7
4 Cameron Henderson: While his lock partner was enjoying the pretty part of the game, Henderson was getting himself down and dirty. His immense size and strength provided the much-needed aggression in the tackle area. 6
3 Joe Heyes: Initially, it looked as though he may struggle at scrum time, particularly when he gave away the scrum penalty to give George Ford his first points of the game for Sale. He soon improved, however, helping Tigers win 100% of scrums on their own head. 6
2 Julian Montoya: He led by example, topping the tackle count by almost double his closest competitor. He made a key turnover at the end of the first half, and put his body on the line with some fierce carries. 8
1 Nicky Smith: Recently named in the Premiership Team of the Season, Smith showed all his quality in this semi-final. He appeared to make gains every time he made a carry, and was often seen coming out of the very bottom of each available ruck. 7
Replacements: The headline substitutes were supposed to be veteran players, Dan Cole and Ben Youngs, but instead, the major difference was made by Izaia Perese. The Australian back became the perfect replacement when he scored from his first touch, running the ball in from 40 metres out. A notable commendation to Emeka Ilione, who made a vital turnover with just five minutes to go. 9
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/leicester-tigers-player-ratings-snubbed-lions-fullback-proves-a-point-while-england-scrum-half-struggles-to-find-his-rhythm
