Match Centre: Leicester Tigers 18-19 Northampton Saints

Leicester Tigers 18-19 Northampton Saints, Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Northampton Saints managed to hold off Leicester Tigers as they sealed a 19-18 victory in the 16th round of the Gallagher Premiership at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday.

This is sixth win for the Saints in 13 games as they moved into fourth place in the table while Leicester are at seventh position.

The game also saw Freddie Burns making his 115th and final appearance for the club as his farewell match finished with a defeat in front of the home crowd. He will now join Super Rugby side Highlanders.

The Saints suffered an early setback as James Ramm was sin-binned in the second minute for a high tackle on Harry Potter, who crossed out five minutes later for the opening try. Handre Pollard kicked the conversion as Leicester raced to a 7-0 lead.

A 12th minute penalty goal from George Furbank helped the Saints cut down the deficit before Pollard helped Leicester restore the seven point lead with a penalty of his own.

With Furbank kicking back to back penalties around the half hour mark, the teams completed the opening half with a 10-9 scoreline.

Olly Cracknell was replaced during the break after he suffered a knock and it was Northampton, who got off the block in the second half with another three-pointer of his own making it 10-12. Pollard also had to leave the field for a Head Injury Assessment as Potter and Ollie Sleightholme exchanged tries to make it 15-19.

Burns made an impact with his first points through a penalty goal in the 62nd minute to reduce the gap down to one point but with no further breakthrough, the Saints managed to sneak to a one-point victory.

Team line up:

Leicester Tigers: Burns; Watson, Scott, Porter, Potter; Pollard, Edwards; Whitcombe, Montoya, Hurd; Wells, Snyman, Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese.

Reserves: Clare, West, Richardson, Martin, Cracknell, Whiteley, Gopperth, Simmons.

Northampton Saints: Ramm; Skosan, Proctor, Hutchinson, Sleightholme; Furbank, James; Waller, Haywood, Hill; Moon, Coles, Scott-Young, Hinkley, Augustus.

Reserves: Smith, Waller, Petch, Nansen, Wilkins, Graham, Braley, Litchfield.