Battered Julian Montoya leads Leicester Tigers’ unadulterated aggression to grind Northampton down

If ever an image summed up Michael Cheika’s new-look Leicester Tigers, it was captain Julian Montoya, right eye swollen shut after catching an errant stud, calling for a scrum penalty inside the Northampton 22 early in the second half.

With Leicester leading 10-3, Montoya did not just want to score, he wanted to grind Northampton’s pack into the dust in the process. It was all about unadulterated aggression.

Roared on by a full house inside a boisterous Welford Road, the Tigers scrum duly obliterated the Saints forwards. A few phases later, an inspired Freddie Steward ran a hard line, giving Olly Cracknell the opening to crash over.

“Julian, you need to get pliers to get him off the field,” Cheika said. “His eye was nearly completely closed, he couldn’t see out of one eye. It was like that at half-time. It was like Rocky Balboa, ‘cut me, Mick’. He did not want to come off. So what do you do? He would have hit me and I am not going to take him on.”

Until that score, it had been nip and tuck. After a saccharine 161 points were scored in the two South West derbies earlier on Saturday, this was what a derby should be: a proper dogfight, punctuated by four yellow cards and a boatload of niggle. The only thing that was free-flowing was the beer in the bars and pubs around Leicester.

Part of the reason that the score seemed lopsided was that Northampton had five tries disallowed by Sam Graham who was judged short, Tommy Freeman for a knock-on while Tom Pearson, Trevor Davison and Chunya Munga were all held up. Finally in injury time, Freeman did get across and television match official Andrew Jackson allowed it to stand to stop Welford Road exploding with schadenfreude.

The sense of injustice the visiting supporters must have felt was only magnified when just seconds after Pearson’s try was scrubbed off, promising centre Joseph Woodward picked off a stray Saints pass and Pearson was yellow-carded for killing the ball. A few phases later, Ollie Chessum went over to kill the contest. Favour truly was not on Northampton’s side. Already missing 10 players, they lost Sam Graham to a dislocated knee and George Furbank, who failed a head-injury assessment.

Northampton played most of the rugby, had more visits to the opposition 22 but it was Tigers’ aggression that won out, particularly at the scrum. In defence, they were like a pack of snarling dogs. Leicester were frequently pinged for offside but they succeeded in making a mess of Northampton’s pretty patterns and twice intercepted passes, although young flanker Henry Pollock was a shining light.

“We were frustrated by a very good Leicester defence and we did not manage to convert the pressure that we did create,” Phil Dowson, the Northampton director of rugby, said. “I thought HP was a definite bright spark. It is not all doom and gloom.”

No player encapsulated the Tigers’ determination more than Steward. Once considered undroppable for England, he was facing the man whom he was subsequently dropped for in Saints captain Furbank. To say he had a point to prove the week before England head coach Steve Borthwick announces his England squad is an understatement.

Within four minutes he had made it. With a penalty in front of the posts, Leicester opted to tap and pick into attack coach Pete Hewat’s bag of party tricks. Montoya tapped, Chessum carried and Jack van Poortvliet gave Steward all the invitation he needed to run straight through Furbank. His roar of celebration told its own story.

Where Furbank glides, Steward barrels. Cheika is unafraid to make full use of his 6ft 5in, near-17-stone frame. But his real calling card is under the high ball where he acts as Leicester’s safety blanket. In contrast, Northampton’s back three were frequently bamboozled by Handre Pollard’s bombs in the swirling wind.

Furbank clearly has a yard of pace over his rival but Steward is no slouch as he showed when he was originally beaten by James Ramm but recovered to get back to knock Ramm’s pass backwards, saving a possible try in the process.

“His job in terms of his position play at full-back, his aerial game and his kicking has been excellent,” Cheika said. “I feel like he has done some really good work on his running lines, sometimes on the inside, sometimes on the outside. He’s understanding how to use his frame as an attacking weapon, not just bashing up but hitting nice lines.”

08:15 PM BST

Thank you for joining us

That brings an end to our coverage of this Gallagher Premiership East Midlands Derby where Michael Cheika’s Leicester Tigers ran out 24-8 winners over rivals and Premiership title holders Northampton Saints. Thank you for joining us!

08:12 PM BST

Where that result leaves us

That result sees Leicester leapfrog Sale into fourth on points difference with the two sides on 14 points - three adrift of Bristol at the summit.

Meanwhile, Northampton remain in sixth on nine points, ahead of Gloucester in seventh on points difference.

08:10 PM BST

‘We had opportunities and we didn’t convert that pressure’: Dowson on defeat

After defeat to Leicester in the East Midlands Derby, Saints’ director of rugby Phil Dowson told TNT Sports: “I think the scoreline always reflects (the contest) in some way.

“We had opportunities and we didn’t convert that pressure. We got undone by their defence.

“There was three held-ups. That’s one of their tactics and that’s one of the things that they work on in terms of dragging people over the line and holding them and they were very effective at that, and we didn’t convert when we were in those areas and that’s what cost us.

“It was a proper intense derby, it’s just a shame we couldn’t put the pressure on from a scoreboard point of view.”

07:58 PM BST

Michael Cheika is ‘enjoying that challenge’

Following his first East Midlands Derby, Tigers head coach Michael Cheika told TNT Sports: “It’s been different I suppose, a bit up and down.

“It’s been interesting for me to have a look under the hood of this club a little bit and now I’m feeling more and more part of it. It takes time to genuinely feel part of it.

“I’m really quite enjoying it. The fans, the crowd, also that little bit of trying to take the reputation of these fellas, build for the club and try to move it forward. Not live up to it - try and help the guys move that forward. I’m enjoying that challenge.”

07:49 PM BST

‘It means so much to us’: Steward on derby win

Discussing his side’s victory, Tigers’ Freddie Steward told TNT Sports: “Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints - it’s an absolute classic. It means so much to us as a club, to the fans, to the staff, to the players, particularly us lads that have grown up supporting the club. It’s a massive game, it’s the one you want to play in so were over the moon.

“There was a lot of emotion in the changing room beforehand, Cheika revved us up. You have that extra bite in you because of the derby and we came out the blocks flying.

“I’m up for every game, this one means even more. What a pleasure to be out there with those lads as well, the forwards were magnificent today, they battled hard and they got us over the line.

“You’ve got to get your fundamentals right in this league and our scrum and line-out were superb.”

07:37 PM BST

Saints earn their consolation

07:31 PM BST

Full time: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 8

That missed conversion is the final action of the match as the referee brings this East Midlands Derby to an end. That late try will annoy them but it was a fantastic performance from Michael Cheika’s men who were forced to defend deep for large parts but they did so excellently.

Freddie Steward opening the scoring inside two minutes and was excellent throughout the 80 minutes as tries from Olly Cracknell and Ollie Chessum took the tie out of sight.

It wasn’t to be for Saints’ who thought they had scored a try on three occasions but were denied by the TMO before they finally broke through with a consolation in stoppage time.

07:29 PM BST

TRY!

Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3 (Freeman) Saints have one final line-out and they finally have their try! The ball is worked around the back of the line-out down Northampton’s right and Freeman grabs it from behind before breaking through to get their first try on the board in the 81st minute. You have to say that was deserved.

Smith’s conversion goes wide.

07:25 PM BST

80 mins: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3

Tigers play a poor line-out though gifting it back to Saints who go so close again to grounding it just under the posts. As it’s worked out to the left though a Steward tackle forces the knock on. The full back is subsequently awarded the player of the match award - thoroughly deserved.

07:23 PM BST

77 mins: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3

Saints are able to turn it over and soon have the advantage just outside Leicester’s 22. It’s Cronin who gives away the foul after having both hands on the ball in the ruck and Saints kick in to touch down their left again.

Pearson again looks to drive it over the line as Saints go so close before the long pass out to Garside on the right is just inches to high and it goes into touch. It just hasn’t been their day.

07:20 PM BST

74 mins: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3

Shillcock is on for Watson for Tigers while Litchfield is replaced by Garside for Saints with the rain really starting to come down now at Welford Road.

Garside is instantly involved as he is found on the left and opens his legs before brilliantly evading a couple of Tigers tackles but after he is tackled it’s eventually knocked on as players come in to support the youngster.

07:17 PM BST

72 mins: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3

The line-out breaks down but Saints recover well to force the foul and have the scrum just out from the five-metre line. Pollock drives for the line but there is a brilliant tackle from Woodward which forces the Saints man to loose his handling of it and Tigers have the scrum.

Saints again win the free-kick following the scrum and once again it’s Pollock who drives for the line but Tigers do so well to hold him up and the pressure can be momentarily eased.

07:13 PM BST

69 mins: Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3

Youngs is on for his 30th East Midlands Derby in place of Pollard for the hosts who win yet another foul from a Saints attack. They have been really strong in the rucks and mauls this evening.

Saints win it following the scrum though and once again Pollock drives his side forward. They win the foul as Cronin is off his feet in the ruck. Reffell and Kelly are off in place of Wand and Ilione.

07:06 PM BST

TRY!

Leicester Tigers 24 Northampton Saints 3 (Chessum) Following the foul from Pearson, Tigers mount the pressure deep in Saints’ 22 and they evnetually make the extra man count as Chessum bundles it home.

Pollard converts once again. After Pearson’s efforts could have reduced the deficit to seven, Saints now face a deficit of 21 - a game of fine margins!

07:04 PM BST

61 mins: Leicester Tigers 17 Northampton Saints 3

There have been a host of changes with Clare and Cole on for the hosts in place of Montoya an Heyes while Smith and West on for Langdon and Iyogun for Saints.

From going so close to scoring, Pearson is sin-binned moments later. Woodward reads the pass to intercept Saints’ attack and he has green grass to run into but Ramm gets back to make a crucial tackle. Pearson sees yellow though for his involvement following the tackle.

07:01 PM BST

59 mins: Leicester Tigers 17 Northampton Saints 3

As Saints attack, Tigers win it back but Watson hadn’t released and the visitors are able to kick into touch just over five metres out. Pearson goes close to getting over the line before it’s brought back for an earlier foul at the line-out.

It’s Pearson who goes close again as he bundles through and this time it goes to TMO to check for grounding with the onfield decision no try with Wells potentially making the intervention. And it is ruled out, for the third time this evening.

06:55 PM BST

TRY!

Leicester Tigers 17 Northampton Saints 3 (Cracknell) Tigers opt for the scrum once again. Steward looks to break through like he did for the opening try as he takes Tigers just short. A penalty is on the way but it doesn’t matter as Cracknell forces it over under the posts.

Pollard converts once again. A huge try from the hosts!

06:52 PM BST

52 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

Following the Saints scrum, Pollock does well to drive them up ten yards but a knock-on from McParland as he looks to scoop it out of the ruck piles the pressure back on the visitors.

Saints fold under the scrum and Woodward kicks it to touch with Tigers now five metres out again. The Tigers fans roar their team on following the line-out. Tigers have the advantage before working it out to Watson who is forced into touch. It’s brought back though and the pressure continues.

06:49 PM BST

48 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

A lovely disguised pass from Steward following the ruck allows Hassell-Collins to be found on Tigers’ left and he steps past a couple of onrushing Saints players to make up some significant ground.

He pops it off to Van Poortvliet and while Saints get back in, Tigers continue to advance with Chessum are a key figure. The ball is eventually worked out to Kelly where a handling error sees the move break down just over five metres out. A nice move from Tigers though.

06:44 PM BST

43 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

Saints have an early scrum just inside the Tigers half, Smith looks to have won it for Tigers but the ball came out too early. The scrum collapses on take two before Saints eventually look to work it out to the right but a handling error sees it break down.

The TMO is called in though to check a potentially high tackle from Pollard on Furbank and the Tigers man does see yellow - a decision that has Cheika’s head shaking. As Pollard goes off, Langdon is back on for Saints.

06:39 PM BST

40 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

The players are back out for the second half and Saints get us underway kicking off from left to right. There is a change for the visitors with Millar-Mills off in place in Davison.

06:38 PM BST

Vital recovery from Steward

06:35 PM BST

As it stands

If the scores were to stay as they are, Tigers would leapfrog Sale into fourth on 14 points while Saints would remain in sixth but with a losing point to show for their efforts.

06:32 PM BST

Fast start from Steward

06:30 PM BST

Not free-flowing but entertaining opening period

After referee Anthony Woodthorpe brought a niggly stop-start half of rugby to an end, there was a further flare up as the teams were coming off between Harry Wells and Elliot Millar Mills. You absolutely love to see it.

No quarter has been given between either side at halftime. Leicester have defended like a pack of rabid dogs and have been frequently pinged for being offside. But the pressure is working. Northampton have far more trips to 22 but only one Fin Smith penalty to show for their efforts with both Sam Graham and Tommy Freeman having tries ruled out. Not a perfect free-flowing half of rugby but this has been just as entertaining.

06:23 PM BST

Half-time: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

McParland is being forced to kick well with Tigers applying the pressure on Saints in their 22. A late attack from Leicester as they look for a second try before half-time ends as Montoya can’t keep it in his grasp.

Smith kicks into touch and that brings this opening period to a close as some handbags develop with the players walking in.

06:19 PM BST

37 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 3

From the foul, Smith decides to kick and he gets Saints their first points on the board. An important contribution as half-time approaches.

06:18 PM BST

36 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 0

Tigers have the line-out in Saints’ 22 but they soon concede the penalty for taking a player away from the breakdown. Graham can be seen being applauded as he goes round the side of the pitch on crutches with a reported dislocated knee.

Saints give away the foul for being in an offside position but Pollard’s kick fails to reach touch this time. A Tigers mistake allows Litchfield to chase them into their 22. Moments later and Kelly gives away the foul for being in an offside position.

06:14 PM BST

33 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 0

Tigers are aggressive at the scrum but concede the foul perhaps unfortunately. It’s loose from Furbank following the line-out and Tigers can kick somewhat clear. Following an inventive kick from Smith that doesn’t come off, Steward is more no-nonsense as he kicks deep into touch.

Montoya is back on for Saints. Wells looses the ball following a big hit from Langdon but it goes to TMO and the Saints man sees yellow for a high tackle. A late step from Wells prevents it from being anything more.

06:09 PM BST

29 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 0

Van Poortvliet looks to kick clear but it doesn’t get far out Tigers’ 22 before finding touch. There is a nice no-look pass from Hutchinson finds Smith as Saints’ passing looks to be warming up.

It breaks down once again as Reffell can force the foul with Saints unable to roll it away in the ruck. Tigers continue to make great progress on each face before working it out to Watson in space but the pass is slightly low and the winger fails to gather it. It’s a scrum for Saints.

06:04 PM BST

25 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 0

Furbank and McParland make good progress inside Tigers’ 22 but it eventually goes forward from McParland with some sloppy handling as they approached the five-metre line.

It was some really nice initial footwork from the youngster on his second Premiership start as he jinked past Reffell who is now back on following his sin bin. Montoya is going off for what initially looks like a HIA but it may just be a case of treating a cut. Clare is on in his place.

06:01 PM BST

22 mins: Leicester Tigers 10 Northampton Saints 0

It’s another good kick from Pollard following a foul to find touch inside Saints’ 22. It’s Tigers’ turn to apply the pressure and they are making good progress with a number of small advances in each phase.

They eventually win the penalty as Pollock kicks the ball away in the ruck. Tigers choose to kick and it’s an easy three points for Pollard, from just under the posts.

05:57 PM BST

19 mins: Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0

As Saints work it right Furbank is so close to finding Hutchinson but Steward does so well to recover after misreading the crossfield kick and he makes a vital interception.

Moments later though and it’s switched out to Saints’ left. It’s worked out to Freeman who steps past Hassell-Collins with worrying ease to land the try but the TMO shows there was a knock on from Furbank just before reaching the winger so it is ruled out.

05:53 PM BST

Strong response from Saints

A good response from Northampton to the succession of an early try at Welford Road, although an early feature has been their struggle to deal with Handre Pollard’s bombs in the swirling wind. Sam Graham was centimetres away from scoring and now looks like he has suffered a nasty knee injury for which Tommy Reffell has been sin-binned .

After Saturday’s early kick offs produced 161 points, I am hoping this remains low-scoring and tip-and-tuck. Derbies ought to be tight dogfights rather than point-a-minute affairs.

05:52 PM BST

16 mins: Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0

Freeman gets on the end of his own kick but the England man can’t keep it in his grasp so it’s a scrum for Leicester. Pollock is on for the injured Graham for Saints.

Saints concede the foul at the scrum for a knee being on the floor and it’s a great pick from Pollard who has made up about 50 metres of territory.

05:50 PM BST

13 mins: Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0

Moments later and Sam Graham seems to be in some real discomfort following a tackle leading to a lengthy break in play. No replays are being shown so it seems to be a bad one.

The TMO is advising the referee that there was foul play involved with Reffell already on his knees before the tackle. A yellow card is awarded and Reffell is in the sin bin. Graham is stretchered off so he will not be continuing.

05:44 PM BST

13 mins: Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0

Saints have themselves an attacking line-out deep in Tigers 22. Freeman nearly breaks though before Graham looks close to have grounded it in the next phase.

The initial onfield decision is no try and after a TMO review, that is the final decision.

05:42 PM BST

10 mins: Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0

Watson hunts down Furbank well following the kick long from Tigers who can quickly dispossess it from Saints. Hassell- Collins nearly latches onto a high crossfield kick but he loses out. Replays show it was a knock-on anyway.

Munga ends a good spell of pressure from Tigers as he wins the foul. It’s coming straight back though and Freeman misreads the flight of the long kick deep into his 22 but a nudge into the back of Furbank gets Saints out of jail.

05:36 PM BST

TRY!

Leicester Tigers 7 Northampton Saints 0 (Steward) Following the Saints foul, Montoya pops it off to Van Poortvliet who finds an oncoming Steward who powers past his opposite number Furbank to break through and land the early try. A great start from Cheika’s men.

Pollard converts.

05:33 PM BST

3 mins: Leicester Tigers 0 Northampton Saints 0

Tigers work it out to the left to Woodward who goes for the chip and chase. It’s a good chase too from Tigers who force the penalty from Saints.

They find touch five metres from the try-line. Saints give away their second penalty away for having hands on the ball in the breakdown.

05:30 PM BST

1 min: Leicester Tigers 0 Northampton Saints 0

Here we go. Tigers and Pollard get us underway kicking off from left to right.

Anthony Woodthorpe is the man in the middle this evening.

05:29 PM BST

Atmosphere building

The Tigers matchday DJ is proving a tricky person to pin down having segued from AC/DC’s Thunderstruck into Whigfield’s more laconic Saturday Night. Atmosphere is slowing ramping up in the Breedon Stand which has a healthy smattering of Saints supporters inside it.

Interestingly the biggest cheers when the teams were read out were reserved for Handre Pollard, back in the saddle after his Rugby Championship exploits, and Julian Montoya, whom Telegraph Sport reported this week is set to head to France at the end of the season.

05:25 PM BST

As it stands

Following the action already so far this weekend the two sides are now just one place apart in the table.

Tigers sit in fifth, one point above their rivals thanks to an extra bonus point amassed.

Cheika’s side can go level with Saracens and Bath with a bonus point win, while Saints can go level on points with Sale in fourth.

05:20 PM BST

Ten minutes from kick-off

We are just ten minutes away from kick-off at Mattioli Woods Welford Road for a massive East Midlands Derby.

Both sides have picked up two wins from their opening three games. Which side will make it three this afternoon? The action begins shortly.

05:16 PM BST

Head-to-head last season

Tigers and Saints shared the spoils in last season’s two East Midlands Derbies. In what was a disappointing season for Leicester, they got one over their local rivals in a 26-17 win at home in November before the eventual champions got their revenge in a 40-17 triumph in April.

In the last five meetings, it’s Tigers who edge the head-to-head having won on three of those occasions.

05:13 PM BST

Late hat-trick heroics

In the other West Country clash, Gabriel Ibitoye scored a stunning late hat-trick as Bristol fought back to beat Exeter.

05:10 PM BST

Ingenuity from Barton

It may have ended in defeat for Gloucester but this was a moment of magic from George Barton.

05:02 PM BST

Derby Weekend so far

Elsewhere on ‘Derby Weekend’, with the term ‘derby’ being rather stretched in some instances, Sale Sharks kicked things off on Friday night with a thumping 43-10 win over winless Newcastle Falcons.

Meanwhile, Bristol have just edged past Exeter Chiefs by a scoreline of 40-35 in one of two West Country contests this afternoon as Bath ran out 55-31 winners in an enthralling encounter against Gloucester.

Bristol’s win sees them climb to the summit of the table on 17 points while Bath are now in third, level on points with Saracens who take on London rivals Harlequins on Sunday.

04:56 PM BST

Derby Weekend in the Premiership

04:51 PM BST

Tigers will ‘fast become a threat’ under Cheika, says Dowson

Discussing this evening’s opponents, Northampton Saints’ director of rugby Phil Dowson has said Tigers are “going to very fast become a threat”.

The former Saints player said: “With the experience that Michael Cheika has, they’ll be very well prepared and they’ll only get better throughout the season.

“With the quality of the players Leicester have, how committed they clearly are to what they’re doing and with the coaching group they’ve got, they’re going to very fast become a threat.

“I thought they were excellent at set pieces and put Bath under a lot of pressure,” he said. “It was a nip and tuck game.

“That will give them real confidence, to have gone against one of the top sides in the league and to have showed what they are capable of.

Despite his praise for Tigers, Dowson said: “Fundamentally, preview is always around us. We know the threats Leicester have… We understand where some core strengths are.

“We’re making sure we’re aware of those but that we’re working on our game the whole time.”

04:44 PM BST

Cheika suspension ‘hurt his reputation’

Leicester Tigers head coach Michael Cheika missed the win at Newcastle Falcons after picking up a suspension for “disrespecting” a matchday doctor in the opening day win over Exeter Chiefs.

Following the decision by the RFU disciplinary panel, he told the BBC:  “It hurts my reputation. I was really disappointed and I almost felt like - I’m not spitting the dummy here - do they really want me to be in the league?

“It’s hurt me but I’m happy it didn’t hurt the team. I didn’t like watching it remotely. I wanted to be there.

“Pete is a really experienced head coach and I spoke to the players beforehand and they were good, they knew the plan.

“We had a few obstacles in the lead-up to the game, players coming in and out with illness, all different types of things, so I thought they handled the day really well.”

Looking ahead to this evening’s clash, he said it is “great” to see the return of international duo Julián Montoya and Handré Pollard, with Montoya set to lead the team as captain.

He said: “Having Julián and Handré back this week is great. Both were given some time to get themselves ready for this weekend’s East Midlands Derby game and they are both very excited about being back in Tigers colours against Northampton on Saturday.

04:37 PM BST

Those teams in full

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Anthony Watson,13 Dan Kelly,12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jack van Poortvliet. 1 Nicky Smith, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 3 Joe Heyes, 4 Harry Wells, 5 Ollie Chessum, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Olly Cracknell.

Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank (c), 14 James Ramm, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland. 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 4 Temo Mayanavanua, 5 Chunya Munga, 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Angus Scott-Young, 8 Sam Graham.

04:34 PM BST

Saints also make six changes

Northampton Saints also make six changes to their side that squeezed past Harlequins last weekend as internationals Millar Mills and Mayanvanua come into the tight five, while Scott-Young is the other change in the forward pack.

In Saints’ backs, Ramm returns to the line-up on the wing as centre Litchfield makes his first appearance of the season on Saturday, while 19-year-old scrum-half McParland is set to make his second Premiership start.

04:33 PM BST

Six changes for Tigers

There are six changes to the Leicester Tigers side that thrashed Newcastle Falcons last weekend as Kelly and Pollard come into the backs in place of Perese and Shillcok.

Montoya, Heyes, Wells and Cracknell come into the forward pack as Clare, Hurd, Martin and Ilione drop out. Montonya will lead the side as captain.

04:29 PM BST

Preview: Cheika relishing a first East Midlands Derby

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Gallagher Premiership as Leicester Tigers take on Northampton Saints in the first East Midlands Derby of the campaign at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Tigers and Saints have picked up two wins from their opening three games of the season with the solitary defeat for both teams coming against Bath. They are both coming into ‘Derby Weekend’ off the back of victories with Tigers thumping Newcastle Falcons 42-10 on the road last weekend while Saints came back against Harlequins to clinch a 33-29 triumph at Franklin’s Gardens.

That result extended the reigning champion’s home winning streak, which is now approaching a full calendar year since their last loss to Bristol Bears on 21 October 2023. Meanwhile, Tigers, who finished eighth in a disappointing campaign last time out, will be hoping this evening to pick up their first points at home this time around.

Coming into Round 4 of Premiership fixtures, Tigers were sat in third with ten points, two places above Saints thanks to an extra bonus point amassed. Depending on results elsewhere this afternoon, victory this afternoon could see Tigers go level at the summit of the table alongside Saracens who have enjoyed a perfect start while Saints could match Sale’s tally of 14 points, currently sat in second.

Ahead of his return to the dugout after serving a suspension, Tigers head coach Michael Cheika is aware of the magnitude of this clash. He said: “It’s clear to me as a newcomer to Tigers, that this game has extra meaning for our club, players and fans alike, and we are looking forward to what that challenge will bring and it’s absolutely great to be a part of it.”

Conversely, Saints’ director of rugby Phil Dowson has been involved in several East Midland Derbies as both a coach and player but has said he “never gets used to them”. He added: “They’re always exciting and very, very challenging. You always learn a lot so I’m excited about it. It’s going to be a big challenge.”