Leicester edged a dramatic 22-20 victory over Bath in a pulsating Premiership encounter at Welford Road, sealed by Billy Searle’s last-minute penalty. The match carried deep emotional significance as Leicester legend Lewis Moody, recently diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), was honoured at half-time by a gathering of former players and a rousing crowd.
The emotional energy from the occasion seemed to fuel Leicester’s performance. Despite Bath arriving as reigning champions and unbeaten this season, the Tigers relished their underdog status, feeding off the passionate home support. The hosts fought back from a 17-7 deficit in the first half to clinch victory in the dying seconds after Bath’s Thomas du Toit was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Searle.
Bath started brightly, their attacking flair shining through early on. Santi Carreras impressed from full-back, creating tries for Dan Frost and Sam Underhill within the first 15 minutes. Cameron Redpath added a third with a moment of brilliance, combining with Finn Russell to slice through the Leicester defence before finishing in style. For a spell, Bath looked unstoppable with ball in hand.
Leicester, however, responded with determination and physicality. Their first-half try came from Olly Cracknell’s power close to the line, before their forward pack took control. The hosts’ dominance at the set piece turned the tide, as a flurry of penalties forced Bath onto the back foot. The Tigers struck twice from driven lineouts, with Tommy Reffell and Nicky Smith touching down to edge their side in front.
Russell’s late penalty looked to have rescued Bath, but Leicester mounted one last ferocious surge. Substitute Searle, replacing the influential James O’Connor, was caught high by du Toit and coolly slotted the resulting penalty from a tight angle to seal a memorable win.
It was a fitting outcome for a day when rugby’s sense of unity and compassion was on full display. The sight of Moody walking around Welford Road to the applause of both sets of supporters underlined the sport’s deep bond beyond competition. Rugby may often seem secondary in life’s bigger battles, but on this occasion, Leicester’s victory carried meaning far beyond the scoreboard.
