T H E S TO RY
L E I C E ST E R T I G E R S v SA L E S HA R KS | GA L L AGHER P R EMI ER S HI P R U GBY
ON THIS DAY...
5
1908
1970
1992
Percy Lawrie’s seasonal total of 28 tries in 39 games kicked off with a hat-trick in the opening-day win over Stratford-upon-Avon.
Bleddyn Jones, the fly-half in his first full season at Leicester, scored the only try in a 14-5 win over Bedford, with Mike Gavins kicking the other points in John Allen’s first home game as club captain.
Welford Road’s centenary celebrations included a game against an England XV. Steve Hackney scored the home side’s try in an 18-11 defeat, with Nigel Heslop on the mark twice for the visitors. As the club’s History Book notes, one of the main talking points was the display of the “spritely front row” of Rowntree, Cockerill and Garforth, playing together for only the second time.
1925 Tigers ran in four tries in a 23-8 win over Bath with the scores shared by Stuart Smith (2), Morton Holden and Ewart Farndon. 1936 Established as Leicester’s opening opponents each season, Bedford recorded an 18-12 victory as the first of three successive wins at Welford Road. 76
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1953 John Elders, who would become an England coach and selector, made his club debut at centre in a 12-6 win at home to Bedford.
1973 John Ingleby kicked all of the points in a 12-9 win over Nottingham on the day Ray Needham made his debut in the front row. 1978 Tim Barnwell ran in two of the six tries in a midweek win at Nuneaton. 1981 Centres Paul Dodge and Clive Woodward were among the scorers in a 28-4 win at Bedford, in the first game under new captain Steve Johnson.
1959
1987
Brian Wigley claimed a debut try in a home defeat by Bedford, with Cliff Shephard also on the scoresheet.
Paul Dodge led Tigers to a 29-9 win at Bedford, with Ian Bates, Barry Evans and Rob Tebbutt on the scoresheet.
1962
1989
David Bird scored twice in a 21-3 win over a Watcyn Thomas XV in an annual fixture staged to raise funds for the English Schools Rugby Union.
Ben Youngs was born in Norfolk, son of former scrumhalf Nick. After coming through the academy, Ben made his senior debut in February 2007 and is now close to 250 games for the club.
1968 Graham Willars was appointed club captain ahead of the 25-14 win over the Watcyn Thomas XV, with Kevin Andrews and David Matthews claiming tries.
1998 Tim Stimpson made his debut following a move from defending champions Newcastle. He became a five-in-a-row winner as Tigers took a grip on the title up to 2002, as well as becoming a Heineken Cup hero. Pat Howard also made his debut in the seven-try win over Harlequins at the start of a title-winning season. 2004 Seru Rabeni made his debut as a replacement in a 26-19 defeat at Sale Sharks.
2010 Thomas Waldrom, George Skivington and Ed Slater were all debutants in a 27-19 defeat by Northampton.