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Amidst one of rugby union's greatest rivalries, the fixture between Leicester and the visitors was heavily influenced by the emotion at half-time than the on-field action on the pitch.

The legendary Martin Johnson headed a phalanx comprising Leicester former players in honour of Lewis Moody, after he announced that he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The last time Moody wore the Tigers' jersey here, a decade and a half past, before moving to their rivals Bath for the last two years in a distinguished playing career, Leicester were more or less close to their very best, while their opponents were situated in the middle of a long drought without the title. Times have changed since. Bath came into the match as title holders, the first time they've held that status since the 1990s.

An Passionate Reception on Home Turf

The Tigers, on a wave of emotion, served up an old-fashioned welcome, embracing the role of the unfancied team on their own pitch, the large home crowd further emboldened by Moody's heartfelt admission during the break that, no matter where he may live, this famous ground remains the home of his rugby heart.

In retrospect, the visiting side were always up against it. Sure enough, in a last-minute assault on the Bath line, Leicester won a crucial penalty from the tiring Bath defenders.

A Dramatic Decisive Moment

Billy Searle, who replaced the excellent James O’Connor, the experienced Wallaby making his debut start for the club, took a quick tap, and Thomas du Toit caught him high, an infringement for which he received a yellow card. With the last kick, Searle slotted the penalty kick from a difficult angle to steal the win.

We might as well have been transported back to Lewis Moody's prime. Certainly, Leicester, who climb a little higher in a congested league, will be heartened that their traditional, direct approach can still yield results, no matter the pedigree of the opponent.

Contrasting Game Plans

Bath were a different class when in possession. So Leicester, following a confusing opening period in which they fell 17-7 behind, learned to deprive them of any. A deluge of penalties against the away side kept Bath on the back foot, their forwards comprehensively bested in the scrums and lineouts throughout the game.

Leicester’s three tries were remarkably similar, neither scored from more than a yard; Bath's three tries were works of art. Dan Frost, Sam Underhill and Cameron Redpath scored the tries, before and after Cracknell's score for Tigers. Subsequently, capitalizing on the penalty count, Reffell and Smith powered over for tries either side of half-time.

A Tense Finish

That earned Tigers a narrow advantage, which they held for most of the second half. It seemed only a matter of time before Bath won enough ball to score their fourth. In fact, their breakthrough came with a rare penalty at the scrum, with their South African reinforcements now on the field. Finn Russell, after missing two earlier kicks, landed the kick with a little less than 10 minutes to play.

That only inspired Leicester for one last, brutish assault, set up by the lively Ollie Hassell-Collins down the left. After earning the penalty that put Bath ahead where he is most comfortable, poor Du Toit gave away a penalty in a vulnerable position. The outcome was then a foregone conclusion.