Leicester Tigers maintained their unbeaten start in the Prem Rugby Cup with a 34-22 victory over East Midlands rivals Northampton Saints at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on November 21, 2025. Argentina international Joaquin Moro starred for the Tigers, scoring two first-half tries that helped set the tone for a commanding win.

Moro’s First-Half Brilliance

The number eight opened the scoring inside the first two minutes after Northampton mishandled a high ball. He later added a second try just before halftime, giving Leicester a 19-15 lead at the interval. Despite strong efforts from South African lock JJ van der Mescht, who scored twice for the Saints in five minutes, Northampton struggled with handling errors in greasy conditions.

Furbank’s Return Highlights Saints’ Positives

A key highlight for Northampton was the return of George Furbank, who completed his first full 80 minutes in nearly a year. The 29-year-old stand-off, recently extended in England’s elite player squad, looked sharp and contributed a first-half drop goal, reminiscent of George Ford’s tactical style.

However, Furbank could not prevent the Tigers from dominating. Seven minutes from full-time, George Hendy left the field dazed following a collision with Moro, compounding Northampton’s difficulties.

Leicester Pulls Away in Second Half

Leicester’s dominance became clear in the second half. Scrum-half Tom Whiteley crossed for a try before halftime, taking advantage of a thunderous Tigers scrum anchored by former Saints tight-head Tarek Haffar.

The Tigers added a fourth try just before the hour mark after a breakout from their own 22, initiated by fly-half Billy Searle and finished by wing Will Wand. Ollie Allan sealed the win with a late try in the 77th minute, making Oliver Scola’s consolation effort for the Saints meaningless.

Full Match Scoreline

• Leicester Tigers 34 (Tries: Moro 2, Whiteley, Wand, Allan; Pen: Searle; Cons: Searle 3)
• Northampton Saints 22 (Tries: Van der Mescht 2, Scola; Cons: Furbank; Drop goal: Furbank)

Referee: Hamish Smales

Team Line-Ups

Leicester Tigers: Bailey; Crowley, Wand, Woodward, Mercer; Searle, Whiteley; Haffar, Clare, Loman, Henderson, Thompson, Palmer, Reffell, Moro. Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, van der Flier, Kofe, Wells, T Manz, J Manz, Allan, Titcombe.

Northampton Saints: Hendy; Sleightholme, Litchfield, Thame, Caqusau; Furbank, Weimann; West, Wright, Green, Munga, van der Mescht, Kemeny, Brown, Graham. Replacements: Smith, Scola, Kundiona, Prowse, Chick, Pugh, Lumley, Pater.

Looking Ahead

With this win, Leicester Tigers remain four wins out of four in Pool B of the Prem Rugby Cup, demonstrating depth, tactical execution, and resilience under pressure. Joaquin Moro’s performance, combined with Searle’s accurate kicking and the dominance of the Tigers’ pack, highlights Leicester’s strong contention for the knockout stages.