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Leicester Tigers’ coach Michael Cheika is well aware of the size of the challenge they face when they take on Bath in the Gallagher Premiership Final on Saturday.
Radwan (20', 28'), Perese (67')
Tries
Preez (57')
Conversions
Ford (57')
Pollard (7', 52')
Penalties
Ford (18', 46', 65')
Leicester Tigers’ coach Michael Cheika is well aware of the size of the challenge they face when they take on Bath in the Gallagher Premiership Final on Saturday.
Tigers set up the clash against the longtime league leaders with a 21-16 victory over Sale Sharks, while Bath beat Bristol Bears 34-20.
The final will be Cheika’s final match before he ends his one season tenure with Leicester.
To become English champions for the 12th time Leicester will need to beat Bath for the first time this season.
In September Bath won 20-15 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, and in May enjoyed a 43-17 victory at their Recreation Ground home.
“They gave us a bit of a tonking, when we were down there a few weeks ago,” Cheika said.
“Bath is the only team we haven’t beaten yet this year, so we’ve got to find a way to master that opponent.
TURNING THE TABLES
“We need to go up a level for sure, and it’ll be on us as coaches to give the lads some tips on how they can give that little bit extra.”
Tigers’ match against Sale was a tight affair, and the teams were tied at 16-16 with less than a quarter remaining.
However, Australia international Izaia Perese came off the bench and scored the decisive try with his first touch of the ball.
“I thought we just played the basics well,” Cheika said. “Our fundamentals were good, our communication was good, we were connected in defence.
“Sale have many threats, led by George Ford and I thought we really handled that, handled the pressure, and it presented us opportunities to go on the attack.
“I thought our ruck was good in the first half, but there are some areas that we need to polish up there.”
DOING THE BASICS
Sale’s defeat is their second consecutive semifinal defeat, and they also lost the 2023 final to Saracens.
They fought to the end, but in the final play Leicester fullback Freddie Steward forced a knock-on during his tackle on Luke Cowan Dickie to end the match.
“I’m obviously gutted to go out in the semis,” Sale head coach Alex Sanderson told TNT Sports. “I believe we had the minerals to go all the way, but not today.
“There were some basic errors in the most basic parts of the game. They go through to a final having played a better game plan and executed it better than we did.”
