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LEICESTER TIGERS were mauled by a Rat and a Goose as they failed to emulate the Foxes.
Less than a week after Leicester City’s historic FA Cup win against Chelsea the Tigers couldn’t make it a memorable double for the city.
Leicester fly-half George Ford, second left, and Ben Youngs, second right, are deflated in defeat at Twickenham[/caption]
Montpellier enjoy wild celebrations after their victory[/caption]
Lodewikus Goosen touches down for Montpellier in a decisive moment[/caption]
Tries from Montpellier’s Vincent Rattez and Johan Goosen sent Steve Borthwick’s side home empty handed.
Heartbroken skipper Tom Youngs said: “We haven’t been in a final for eight years and we are going forward.
“Losing by one point is disappointing, but we talked about being able to look ourselves in the mirror at the end of the game, and everyone gave it what they got.
“Everyone knows in the last eight years Leicester have been going down, now we are going up again.
“I couldn’t be prouder of how they rocked up on this occasion.
“We have to hold our heads up high sometimes and this is one of those moments.”
Gabriel N’Gandebe enjoys a glittering night for Montpellier[/caption]
The French had a team stacked full of megastar South African World Cup winners from Handre Pollard to Bismarck du Plessis.
And that quality was the difference against a young Premiership outfit trying to make names for themselves.
England fly-half George Ford booted them into a lead before France winger Rattez struck.
The scheming winger beat Matias Moroni to ground the ball with one hand after full-back Anthony Bouthier’s clever grubber kick.
Benoit Paillaugue stretched their lead with the conversion then a penalty before Harry Wells’ try, converted by Ford, had it on a knife-edge at the break with Alexandre Becognee in the bin.
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Borthwick’s side started the second half on the up and Guilhem Guirado’s yellow card was pounced on as Jasper Wiese’s try and Ford’s conversion had the Tigers roaring into a 17-10 lead.
But scrum-half Paillaugue struck another Montpellier penalty and Goosen’s score on the hour mark sealed the win with Ford and Neamni Nadolo stranded at the back.
England ace Ford then missed a drop goal as Tigers scrapped to the end but with no luck.
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