A superb late comeback for the second time in two weeks again proved decisive as Tigers silenced a vocal home crowd with another display full of Leicester character.
Having trailed 12-3 at half-time, Tigers fought their way back into the match to take the lead with 68 minutes played before Willie Walker appeared to have won the game for the hosts. Walker’s 30-metre drop goal looked set to book Gloucester’s place in the end-of-month showpiece, but Goode’s late strike, and Tigers’ ability to successfully play down the clock, ensured it is the reigning champions who will return to English Rugby’s HQ in 13 days time.
Tigers will now take on London Wasps at Twickenham on May 31, after the Londoners defeated Bath at Adams Park in the day’s earlier kick off.
Despite claiming possession at the kick off through the first of a number of exemplary takes from full back Geordan Murphy, Tigers immediately found themselves on the back foot as they surrendered ball inside their own 22. A thumping double tackle from Boris Stankovich and Ben Kay stopped the resulting Gloucester attack in its tracks but the home side were first to put points on the board inside the opening five minutes.
Ryan Lamb followed up a bright start that had included a well-weighted kick to touch with a sweetly struck penalty after Mefin Davies had been unfortunate to be caught offside on his own 10-metre line.
Lamb’s effort gave Gloucester a 3-0 lead, although Tigers should have been back on terms with seven minutes played. Faced with a penalty attempt just to the right of the uprights and 27 metres from goal, Goode got underneath his kick, pushing it wide of the near post.
Goode almost made amends as his opportunistic break straight through a ruck on the edge of the Gloucester 22 took play to within eight metres of the opposition line. Tigers recycled possession quickly enough to cause the home defence plenty of problems, but Lesley Vainakolo’s timely interception brought a promising period of possession to an end.
Tigers were rewarded for their continuity with 11 minutes on the clock, however, as Murphy’s superb judgement and steady hands kept Lamb’s touchfinder infield and eventually drew a penalty for offside.
This time, Goode kicked Tigers level from 38 metres, albeit with significant assistance from the right-hand post.
Gloucester were soon back in front through a second penalty from Lamb with just over a quarter of an hour played but the 22-year-old failed with a 52-metre attempt six minutes later to leave the gap at just three points.
Tom Varndell then seemed destined to accept the gift of a metre of space 25 metres from the Gloucester line, but referee Dave Pearson brought play back for a forward pass before the Premiership’s leading scorer could pick up pace.
Gloucester dominated for the remainder of the half as Tigers struggled to deal with the numerical deficit caused by Jordan Crane’s sin-binning for pulling back James Simpson-Daniel during a dangerous-looking counter attack. Lamb kicked three penalties without reply but Tigers will have been pleased with a determined defensive effort that kept their tryline in tact despite another yellow card for Harry Ellis five minutes before the break.
Tigers began the second period nine points adrift but a superbly-struck penalty from Goode reduced the gap to six with just a minute played. The leading points-scorer in Premiership history capitalised on another offside decision 43 metres out and just five metres in from the left touchline to bring Tigers back to within a single score.
Varndell then followed a 40-metre clearance kick with an equally confident and effective tackle on Rory Lawson as the Gloucester No9 burst down the blindside following a short lineout on halfway.
Lamb restored the nine-point gap with a straightforward penalty seven minutes later after Pearson ruled against Tigers 30 metres from their own line when the travelling support expected him to penalise the hosts.
Tigers hit back with the perfect response with 12 minutes of the half played as they registered the first try of the match through Tuilagi. The Samoan swapped wings with Varndell before powering through four attempted tackles on his way to a typically-powerful individual score. Former Gloucester hooker Davies provided the initial impetus by making hard ground in Gloucester territory, with Tuilagi providing a bludgeoning finish from 18 metres out.
Goode’s well-taken conversion from two metres in from the right touchline brought Tigers back to within touching distance at 15-13 but Gloucester soon moved clear once more thanks to a converted score of their own. Fijian flanker Akapusi Qera split the Tigers defence wide on the left before supplying the scoring pass to the grateful Simpson-Daniel. The Gloucester Academy product raced home from 40 metres, with Lamb adding the simple conversion to see Gloucester move 22-13 ahead with 57 minutes gone.
Goode narrowly failed to reduce the arrears when his 51-metre penalty fell just short on the hour mark, but a glaring mistake from England and Lions cap Iain Balshaw allowed Mauger to grab his side’s second try in the space of 10 minutes. The Gloucester wing reacted poorly to incessant Tigers pressure as he threw a pass to no one in particular inside his own ingoal area. Balshaw’s pass hit the foot of the post, with Tigers’ All Black centre the quickest to react. Goode added the extras from directly underneath the posts, after Pearson had received confirmation from the television match official with 62 minutes on the clock.
Lamb appeared to have swung the game significantly back in Gloucester’s favour just three minutes later as he crossed the Tigers line following an incisive break from replacement Luke Narraway. The England back row made significant inroads after Gloucester had turned over ball at a Tigers lineout inside the 22, but his pass was adjudged forward, much to the relief of a Tigers support that made themselves heard at every opportunity.
Goode’s final penalty was followed by a third miss from Lamb with six minutes remaining before the brace of drop goals added the most dramatic of finishes to the most dramatic of semi-finals.
Ticket details for the Guinness Premiership Final will appear on this website on Monday.
