Gloucester 17-36 Leicester Tigers RECAP - Gallagher PREM result as six-try Tigers clinch Slater Cup in bizarre contest

Four tries in the first 16 minutes won the Slater Cup for Leicester Tigers, who continued to stake their claim for a Gallagher PREM playoff place and saw off a determined Gloucester fightback at Villa Park.

Jamie Blamire and Will Wand each scored a brace of tries and Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Orlando Bailey and Harry Wells also got on the scoresheet for Tigers, though Geoff Parling’s side only scored seven points in 61 minutes, underlining the oddity of the Slater Cup clash.

After a chastening first quarter, Gloucester re-established themselves well, and it was an even contest for the rest of the game. However, The Cherry-and-Whites were never able to stack scores and really put pressure on the Tigers.

The opening two tries inside five minutes were carbon copies as Billy Searle freed Wand and Hamer-Webb on opposite flanks and both rode contact to crash over in a nightmare start for Gloucester. Leicester then backed that up with two lineout tries for Blamire, leaving Gloucester fans inside Villa Park worried they could see a cricket score.

And though George Skivington’s side stopped the bleeding and then hit back through a close-range Matias Alemanno score, Orlando Bailey’s converted try after a magical Wand offload on a difficult day for both kickers meant Gloucester faced a 27-5 deficit at half-time that always looked too much.

Will Joseph gave them a dream start to the second half when he barrelled through three Tigers to score two minutes after kickoff, but half an hour of stalemate followed where neither side could build sustained pressure. Dian Bleuler’s late try was cancelled out by a crafty play by Harry Wells meaning Leicester claimed a 36-17 victory.

It's one of the biggest days of the Gallagher PREM season and there are still two more games to go plus the mouthwatering clash between Sale Sharks and Bath on Sunday!

All of the action is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, stay with TNT Sports 1 to catch all the action from the Principality Stadium clash next!

Newcastle Red Bulls 14-38 Exeter Chiefs

FT - Gloucester v Leicester

15:30 - Bristol Bears v Harlequins

18:00 - Saracens v Northampton Saints

15:00 - Sale Sharks v Bath

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Leicester have won the Slater Cup! And the result seemed inevitable about 17 minutes in when Blamire clinched the bonus point.

Gloucester did fight back well but never showed the ruthlessness to really get back into the contest, Austin Healey called it a "weird game" on TNT Sports and that's probably the best way to sum this one up.

The try is GOOD! Gloucester still aren't happy, saying Wells moved before the ball was in the try area, but their protestations will fall on deaf ears.

Such a smart move by the replacement lock.

Has Harry Wells stolen a score?!? Englefield rolled the ball back behind a caterpillar ruck but he pulled it over the line, meaning the offside line vanishes.

And Wells might've taken advantage, leaping forwards to touch the ball down.

The centre breaks through the defensive line and then pushes a perfectly weighted kick that sits up for Redshaw, but right on the tryline under the posts.

It's the worst place to be for Gloucester.

It's a Gloucester lineout on their own 10m line, time is running out to grab a bonus point.

After 15 phases, replacement prop Dian Bleuler breaches the Leicester line! Like with the Alemanno try, it was patient work by the Cherry pack and eventually Bleuler finds the crevice to score.

Yet Atkinson misses a costly conversion.

Is this the moment for Gloucester? They disrupt the Leicester ball and snag a turnover in the danger zone!

Right now the forwards are building the phases.

We got six tries in the first half but it's now 25 minutes since the last score and based on the last few minutes, that gap will only get bigger.

Leicester have a lineout on their 22 right now.

Whiteley claims a cross-field kick but Leicester can't capitalise, then miss-hit a box kick allowing Freddie Thomas to reclaim possession.

However, the sides trade more kicks and when Will Trenholm looks to feed Charlie Atkinson (who is down to one boot) the fly-half is strangled by the defence.

And just when it looks like they can build a platform, a handling error returns the ball to Leicester.

This is low-quality play.

In what's otherwise been a barnstorming game, so much of the last 10 minutes has been between the 22s.

There's a stoppage in play as Liebenberg gets his head bandaged up after contact in the lineout, Geoff Parling has used more of his bench in the form of two front-row changes as Blamire and Joe Heyes make way.

It was this score just before half-time that looks like it's really killed off Gloucester.

It's been a long injury layoff but the flying winger is back in a Tigers shirt now! Gloucester's attack broke down, and it's been something of a stalemate since.

Hamer-Webb shanks a kick in what's otherwise been a strong performance from the wing, so Gloucester can attack from the 10-metre line.

A cute kick forwards from Tigers doesn't quite sit up but it means Gloucester have to navigate a lineout in coffin corner and Tigers have an attacking platform in the Cherries' half.

Leicester forwards coach Brett Deacon told TNT Sports he hopes they can show their hunger again:

"We probably just took the foot off the throat in that last 10, 15 minutes and allowed Gloucester to get back in the game. Our set piece was fantastic at the start, we probably just went away from it a bit."

It's the perfect start to the half by Gloucester! The scrum wheels and Englefield goes against the grain, but it doesn't matter as he finds Joseph in space and the winger bashes through three tackles including that of Hamish Watson to score!

Atkinson plays the wind masterfully to nail his conversion, too. If Gloucester can score again then the fightback is on.

Max Llewellyn storms into the 22, then offloads to Deian Gwynne and though Leicester turn over the ball at the ruck, Van Poortvliet launches a dreadful kick straight into the referee meaning it's an attacking scrum in the 22!

Gloucester lost the ball momentarily, but they win it back and a massive carry from Redshaw takes them up to halfway.