Hardwick penalty kick helps Leicester edge out Gloucester 16-13

Leicester Tigers 16-13 Gloucester Rugby, Welford Road
Scorecard

Tom Hardwick kicked the decisive penalty kick in the closing stage as Leicester Tigers edged out Gloucester Rugby 16-13 in their Gallagher Premiership face-off at Welford Road on Saturday.

Gloucester started the game with a setback as Ed Slater was sin-binned in the second minute for a tackle on Noel Reid following which Hardwick kicked a penalty goal to get Leicester off the mark.

The scores were levelled by the seventh minute when Billy Twelvetrees responded with a three pointer of his own but the opening try of the game came in the 23rd minute when Sam Harrison's offload was capitalised by Reid as he dived over the line.

A conversion from Hardwick made the scoreline 10-3 before Twelvetrees reduced the arrears to four points with his second penalty kick in the 37th minute.

The Cherry and Whites went on to claim the lead for the first time in the game with Joe Simpson's try in the 49th minute and Twelvetrees kicked a conversion making it 10-13.

Hardwick with his 67th penalty kick ensured the scores were levelled before the centre with his third three-pointer game in the final minute took Leicester to a thrilling three-point win that ended their run of five league defeats.

Despite the win, the Tigers are at 11th position in the table with four points while Gloucester are at third with 10 points.