Rowntree bows out after 17 years at the top
Tigers legend Graham Rowntree led the side out on his final appearance in Leicester colours, as Argentina took the honours in the PwC Challenge Cup at Welford Road. Rowntree has epitomised everything positive about the sport in a remarkable career that has spanned 17 years, and the reception he received when he both entered and left the field gave an honest reflection of the esteem in which he is held by everyone at the club.
Rowntree’s 398th appearance ended in defeat for Leicester however, as Argentina registered five tries in an entertaining 41-21 victory in front of an appreciative crowd. Tigers contributed greatly to a match which was far from one-sided though, with Tom Croft, Tom Varndell and Matt Smith all grabbing scores in a battling performance that will have pleased Pat Howard and his coaching staff.
Argentina were first on the scoreboard courtesy of a fine piece of individual skill from outside-half Juan Martin Fernandez. The Stade Francais playmaker displayed his footballing abilities with a perfectly-weighted grubber kick from only five metres short of the Tigers try-line. Fernandez’s kick split a defensive system forced to fly up in order to pressurise their opponents, leaving his club team-mate Ignacio Corelto to touch down unopposed in the right-hand corner.

Hernandez added a superb conversion to give the visitors a seven-point advantage after only eight minutes of play.

That lead was doubled shortly after the quarter of an hour mark thanks to a more typically Argentinean score from Rimas Alvarez. The rangy second row drove over from three metres after the South Americans had attacked the heart of the Tigers defence following a series of sustained pressure.

Hernandez was again on-target with the extras, this time from directly underneath the posts, to see Marcelo Loffreda’s side move 14 points clear with 16 minutes on the clock.

Argentina’s third try arrived just four minutes later following a second example of some imaginative attacking play from an impressive-looking backline. This time it was the boot of right wing Lucas Borges that was the catalyst for Corleto’s second score of the afternoon, as the French-based full back gathered the ball at pace to race through from deep inside the Leicester 22.

Hernandez sent his conversion attempt narrowly wide of the right-hand upright from an almost identical position to his first effort, leaving the scoreline to read 19-0 in Argentina's favour.

After both teams had turned down numerous kicks at goal inside the opening quarter, the tourists then bucked that trend by electing to take the three points after Tigers had been penalised for straying offside 30 metres out from their own line and 10 metres to the right of the posts.

Leicester then got off the mark themselves with a fantastic try from Tom Croft after 37 minutes. The England Sevens player supplied an elecrtifying 30-metre finish after Scott Bemand had broekn through just inside the Argentinean half. Croft took the ball at pace before side-stepping his way through the covering bodies and diving superman style underneath the uprights, much to the delight of the Welford Road faithful.

Vesty slotted the conversion to reduce the half-time defecit to 15 points at 22-7.

Argentina began the second period brightly as they crossed for their fourth try of the match with just four minutes of the half played. Outside centre Martin Gaitan showed great balance and poise to burst through the Leicester defensive line to put his side 27-7 in front.

Fernandez failed to stretch the lead even further however, as he sent his conversion narrowly wide from the 15-metre line on the Tigers right.

The Argentinean fly-half did kick a brace of straightforward penalties after 50 and 59 minutes to take the score to 33-7 with just over 20 minutes left to play.

Borges then registered the second try of the half with 10 minutes remaining, as the visiting backline again showed their class. Quick hands deep in Tigers territory saw Corleto supply the scoring pass to the winger, who had the luxury of strolling home from five metres out.

Hernandez pushed his conversion to the right of the sticks from 15 metres in from the right-hand touchline to leave the hosts trailing by 31 points at 38-7.

Tigers hit back five minutes later through a fine backline score of their own. A clever break from the lively Matt Cornwell created an overlap which was utilised perfectly by Sam Vesty, who fed Varndell just a metre in from the left-hand corner flag.

Vesty then added a superb conversion to cut the gap to 24 points, before replacement Juan Fernandez Miranda kicked a 79th minute drop goal.

It was perhaps fitting that Tigers had the final say, as Smith hacked through after Ben Youngs had tried to capitalise on turnover ball on his own 10-metre line. Smith kicked on twice before Varndell unselfishly allowed Smith the pleasure of claiming a great individual score after both men had reached the try line ahead of the covering Argentinean defenders.

Vesty kicked the simple two points from in front of the posts to leave the final score at 41-21 to an Argentinean side currently sitting sixth in the official IRB world rankings. The biggest cheer then arrived minutes after the final whistle, as Rowntree received a well-deserved standing ovation upon receiving the PwC Challenge Cup Man of the Match award.



Leicester Tigers V Argentina
P D C T Player Player T C D P
Johne Murphy 15 Ignacio Corleto 2
1 Tom Varndell 14 Lucas Borges 1
Matt Cornwell 13 Martin Gaitan 1
Daryl Gibson 12 Manuel Contepomi
Leon Lloyd 11 Horacio Agulla
3 Sam Vesty 10 Juan Martin Hernandez 2 3
Scott Bemand 9 Nicolas Vergallo
Graham Rowntree 1 Rodrigo Roncero
Gavin Hickie 2 Alberto Vernet Basualdo
Alex Moreno 3 Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino
Gregor Gillanders 4 Rimas Alvarez Kairelis 1
1 Tom Croft 5 Patricio Albacete
Ben Pienaar 6 Martin Durand
Alex Shaw 7 Lucas Ostiglia
Brett Deacon 8 Genaro Fessia
Replacements
James Buckland 16 Pablo Gambarini
Michael Holford 17 Juan Francisco Gomez
Ian Nimmo 18 Pablo Henn
Rory McKay 19 Federico Andres Genoud
Frank Murphy 20 Lucio Lopez Fleming
Ben Youngs 21 Juan Fernandez Miranda 1
1 Matt Smith 22 Federico Serra Miras
Penalty Tries
0
0

This article was posted on 11-Feb-2007, 23:38 by Hugh Barrow.