Back to the rugby we all know and love. Hard, cold, a burst of torrential towards the end, four yellows, four tries and one old rival delighting in rubbing another’s face in the dirt. Northampton may be champions, but Leicester remain Leicester. They love nothing more than turning screws and making people from down the road weep. If the latter could also be denied tries three times by the closest of calls, so much the better.
Michael Cheika described his side as “gritty”, which was something of an understatement. Julián Montoya, back from duty with the Pumas and immediately reinstated as captain of the Tigers, picked up a cut to his eye in the first half, which continued to swell throughout the game, until he could see no more out of it. Alongside him, Ollie Chessum further ingratiated himself with the England coaches. And behind them Freddie Steward won player of the match, which must have been all the more gratifying given his opposite number was George Furbank, who has displaced him as England full-back.
