Rugby: Leicester's Tigers bring down Springboks

Leicester's Craig Hammond tries the direct route. Photo / Getty Images

Peter Wheeler was not wearing a hat last night - a relief to former England and Lions livewire Austin Healey who had promised that he would eat the Leicester chief executive's headgear if his former club won this game.

Healey's gloomy prediction that Leicester would be "tonked" was not just another controversial comment from the "Liverpool Lip" but was based on the sensible premise that a depleted Tigers would stand little chance against the World Cup holders, albeit the Springboks' midweek dirt-trackers.

But Healey had not reckoned with a stunning performance bristling with pride and passion from Leicester which unsettled a poorly-organised Springboks.

Although Leicester were denuded by international calls and injuries, they were still able to name Lote Tuqiri, this week's high-profile signing, as a replacement. By the time the former Australia winger made his debut in the second half Leicester were well on their way to a famous victory.

Five penalties from halfback Ben Youngs, a makeshift kicker in place of the rested Jeremy Staunton, sealed it but the foundations were really laid by a rampant front row.

South Africa were given such a torrid time by Martin Castrogiovanni and Mefin Davies that they withdrew Gurthro Steenkamp, capped 22 times, at halftime. Heinke van der Merwe fared little better as Steenkamp's replacement.

Thankfully for South Africa, reinforcements are on their way as the majority of the side likely to face France in Toulouse in the first of three northern autumn internationals next Saturday arrives in Europe this week.

But this was still a sobering defeat for the Tri-Nations champions who will face a similar banana skin against Saracens on November 17.

When winger Jongi Nokwe latched on to Earl Rose's clever kick through and scored the opening try after eight minutes it looked like being a long evening for Leicester.

But 18-year-old Manu Tuilagi, the youngest of five rugby-playing brothers, refused to be intimidated as he regularly clattered into the Springboks' midfield defence and sucked in tacklers.

The game appeared to have drifted into stalemate with some aimless aerial kicking from both sides but Johne Murphy found some space to attack from deep and Tuilagi had the strength to capitalise.

Amorosino linked well with the young centre and jinked infield to score a glorious try under the posts which clearly rattled South Africa.

Youngs shaded the kicking contest with Ruan Pienaar, the crucial moment coming when South Africa's first five-eighths struck an upright with a 75th-minute penalty attempt that bounced out to George Chuter.

- INDEPENDENT