Top class Tigers find best form of attack is defence

LEICESTER Tigers produced a supreme defensive performance to win the biggest game of their league season 36-19 at Bristol Bears.

- By JOHN WIFFEN

It was a result built on heart, soul and defensive nous.

The attack was good enough to take advantage of the opportunities that the defence created without shining, particularly in the second half.

In December they entirely played into the hands of the Bears and were duly destroyed.

This time they played to the strengths of Tigers and forced the home side to look particularly off-colour.

The first half was almost perfect. The mid-season arrival of defensive coach Dave Kidwell seemed to be paying dividends.

That is where the lead was built that they could hold on to after the break.

Smart defensive reads were paired with some brutally physical hits to make Bristol look a shadow of themselves.

Jack van Poortvliet was the star of the show. His form this year has been excellent and he will rightly be thinking that Australia on a Lions tour could be his destination rather than his expected destination of Argentina this summer.