European Cup: Leicester ahead at half-time
Leicester 16 Gloucester 9 (H/T)
English champions Leicester conjured up a superb try for centre Leon Lloyd as the Tigers took a 16-9 half-time lead in today’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Gloucester at Vicarage Road.
Collecting the ball 10 metres inside his own half, Stimpson set off on a weaving run that stretched Gloucester’s defence in all directions.
He cut back inside at just the right moment as Gloucester got men back in numbers, and centre Leon Lloyd took his scoring pass to touch down between the posts.
Stimpson’s conversion put the Tigers 13-6 ahead, and when Mannix missed a straight forward penalty chance just four minutes later, Gloucester’s bubble looked to have burst.
Gloucester briefly lost flanker Kingsley Jones while he received treatment for a cut, and Andy Hazell was given a five minute slice of the action.
Mannix then completed his penalty hat-trick, only for Stimpson to follow suit and give Leicester a 16-9 interval advantage.
On the stroke of half-time, Leicester’s England hooker Dorian West went off to be replaced by Richard Cockerill.
