Nottingham v Leicester Tigers
24 April 2026 | The Bay | Friendly
Both sides, fielding relatively youthful lineups, put on a display of thrilling rugby and accurate kicking for this club friendly with Nottingham edging it by six tries to five to defeat Leicester Tigers 42-35.
Club captain David Williams, in the squad for the first time for nearly two months after an injury layoff, was pleased it was an entertaining game: “It was good, flowing rugby, with a high amount of ball in play. It was great, a good watch for fans of both slides as well.”
It didn’t look like it was going to be such a free-scoring game though, in an opening ten minutes that were littered with infringements. It was the Archers who were just on the right side of the penalty count and used it to their advantage to set up a driving maul from a five metre lineout. Hooker Harry Clarke duly drove over from the back of the pack. Charlie West kicked the first of his four conversions.
The Tigers cancelled out that score immediately, however, as back-rower Henry Johnson broke the line and showed a turn of pace that his father Martin, watching on from the terraces, could only dream of, to dot down between the posts. Tom Threlfall added the extras.
It wasn’t long before Nottingham were back in front as full back Cieran Barry did well to create some space on the right before offloading to Sam Mercer on the halfway line to sprint in near the corner flag.
The next score was a little more prosaic as the long arms of Tommy Hamilton just about got the ball over the line from close range for the home side.
With discipline improved on both sides it became a more open game. Charlie Bemand narrowed the arrears for Leicester approaching the half hour mark with the first of two breakaway tries. Replacement Oscar Talbot took over kicking duties to slot the first of three conversions.
Just when it looked like it would stay that way until half time, Craig Hammond’s men once again capitalised on a penalty with Hobie Riches burrowing over from a five metre tap and go, to make it Nottingham 28-14 Leicester Tigers at the break.
It was Leicester who started the brighter in the second period with Bemand once again finding an incisive line to split open his opponent’s defence and bring the visitors back within seven.
But the next 15 minutes belonged to the Archers as Williams made a try-scoring return off the bench and Sam Mercer raced in to double his tally for the evening.
The Tigers were far from done, however, as Charlie Myall, who’s no stranger to scoring in the green and white of Nottingham, did so in the green, white and red of Leicester this time, just after the hour mark.
Then, with ten minutes remaining, the visitors were awarded a penalty try to close the gap to seven points, with Nottingham’s captain on the night, Iestyn Harris, being sent to the sin bin in the process. However, the 14 men managed to hold on for the remainder of the match.
Williams’s attention is now turning back to the Elior Champ Rugby playoff race: “We know what we’re capable of. We’ve got two games left, Ampthill at home, then we finish at Castle Park against Doncaster. We’re targeting five points in both games and whatever else happens in the league happens.”