O’Connor full of praise for Leicester players

Leicester Tigers boss Matt O'Connor praised his players after their narrow 31-28 win over Harlequins at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.

Tigers had a slender 11-9 lead at the interval, regardless of Marcus Smith outscoring mentor George Ford by three penalties to two, with Telusa Veainu’s try the difference – the full-back using his momentum to hold off Joe Marchant, Charlie Walker and Mike Brown to dot the ball down.

Quins wrestled back the momentum as Danny Care and Mat Luamanu scored two tries in quick succession, but in a rollercoaster second half, Tigers were to have the final word.

Yellow cards for Ellis Genge and Will Collier off the same scrum opened up the space, and Leicester benefitted with Jonny May and Greg Bateman racing over the whitewash soon after.

Alofa Alofa got the last try of a furious second half to put Quins back in front, cutting a great line from Care’s flat pass, but two more Ford penalties in the closing stages were enough for Tigers to edge it.

The result was Tigers' second successive one in the Premiershipi and O’Connor was thrilled his side thrived when the going got tough after half time.

“I thought we were really good first half. We managed the game and took our opportunities and did all the things we spoke about,” he told the Premiership's official website.

“It was a little bit disappointing after half-time to concede those two tries against the run of play which put us under a fair bit of pressure.

“The fightback was good and the composure was brilliant. I thought our leaders managed the game really well.”

“They were always going to play, that’s their DNA and that’s what they want to do from all over the field.

“We knew we had to be diligent and accurate around that and largely we were.

“Quins are a good side with a lot of really good players and blokes who are very experienced so it was going to be a tough day out.

“Given where we have been confidence-wise and the upheaval during the week with Richard Blaze leaving it was a tough week but the boys worked really hard and they delivered across the 80 minutes which was really pleasing.”

Harlequins direvtor of rugby John Kingston was able to see the positives in defeat, but urged his charges to take some motivation from the losing feeling.

“It was a roller-coaster with two very good sides going at it hammer and tongs," he said.

"A couple of things went for Leicester, the turning points.

“I can’t question the attitude and commitment of the players, they worked their backsides off. We have to take the hurt from losing very, very badly.

“Marcus [Smith] was excellent, he did what was asked of him. His development as a player is continuing to go forward.

“I understand the attention he’s getting because he’s started the season strongly and is doing so well.”