TV demand takes shine off Tigers glory moment

Leicester claimed their third consecutive league title but Tigers' director of rugby Dean Richards was unhappy with the way the championship race unfolded.

Although "delighted" that the Premiership trophy is to remain in its familiar surroundings at Welford Road, Richards insisted that the early kick-off of the Tigers' clash with Newcastle took some shine off the occasion.

Newcastle were blitzed 51-7 in a match which began at 12.15pm - the time was brought forward at the request of Sky - leaving Leicester with a two-hour wait for the result of Wasps' match at Bath.

When news of the Londoners' 16-13 injury-time defeat was announced over the tannoy at Welford Road, those fans left at the ground cheered the Tigers' achievement but the moment was not quite the event it could and should have been.

"We do have a few regrets," said Richards. "The match could have kicked-off at three and I'm pretty sure that if it had, the game would have been a sell-out.

"A later kick-off time would have been the best thing for rugby and for Leicester.

"And it's disappointing that the fans had to hang around for two hours after the game to see if we had won the title again. It meant some of the supporters couldn't share the moment with us."