Leicester beat Bristol to go second in Premiership

Gallagher Premiership

Bristol Bears (5) 19

Tries: Ibitoye, Ravouvou, Randall Cons: MacGinty 2

Leicester Tigers (22) 36

Tries: Radwan, Hassell-Collins, Van Poortvliet, Steward, Henderson Cons: Pollard 3, Shillcock Pens: Pollard

Leicester Tigers leapfrogged Bristol Bears into second spot in the Premiership with an exhilarating, and at times frantically captivating, victory at Ashton Gate.

A no-look, behind-the-back pass from Kalaveti Ravouvou that set Gabriel Ibitoye up for Bristol's only first-half try was the highlight of an absorbing opening 40 minutes that Leicester otherwise dominated through tries from Adam Radwan, Ollie Hassell-Collings and Jack van Poortvliet.

Handre Pollard added a penalty to those three touchdowns to put Leicester 22-5 up at the break.

Tigers were down to 14 men, with Joe Heyes in the sin-bin, when Ravouvou grabbed the host's second try after the break.

Freddie Steward appeared to put the result beyond the Bears' reach with a bonus-point try for Tigers just after the hour mark, but a Harry Randall score in response and Solomone Kata's yellow card for Leicester made it a nervy finish before Cameron Henderson completed the win in the final minute.

That final try had Tigers head coach Michael Cheika and his coaching staff on their feet in celebration as it took them from fifth in the table and up to second on points difference.

More to follow.

Bristol Bears: Lane; Bailey, Ravouvou, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Kloska; Dun, Caulfield, Luatua, Harding (c), Mata.

Replacements: Thacker, Thomas, Lahiff, Grondona, Heenan, Marmion, Elizalde, Jenkins.

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Woodward, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Van Poortvliet; Smith, Montoya (c), Heyes; Henderson, Chessum, Liebenberg, Reffell, Cracknell.

Replacements: Clare, Whitcombe, Hurd, Rogerson, Ilione, Youngs, Shillcock, Kelly.

Yellow cards: Heyes (38), Kata (69).

Referee: Karl Dickson.