'Outstanding' Ollie Chessum leads returning Leicester Tigers internationals to brave bonus-point win against Bristol Bears
By Rhys Jones
Published 22/03/2026 at 20:59 GMT
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Leicester Tigers rocketed themselves up to third in the Gallagher PREM table after securing a bonus point in the dying moments of their 33-19 win over Bristol Bears. The Tigers had the win wrapped up and could have ended the game, but travelled from one 22 to another with the clock in the red for Gabriel Hamer-Webb to score a stunning try and Ollie Chessum was "outstanding" on his return.
'He's been brilliant since I came' - Parling applauds 'outstanding' Chessum in Tigers return
Video credit: TNT Sports
Ollie Chessum was "brilliant" on his return from a difficult Six Nations with England, leading Leicester Tigers' returning internationals to a hugely important win over Bristol Bears.
The second row came away with a deserved player of the match award for his part in a 33-19 win that saw them climb to third in the Gallagher PREM table.
Chessum featured in all five of England's Six Nations games and he was outstanding as he once again donned his club colours on Sunday afternoon.
The 25-year-old said his time with England had been "strange" but was delighted to be back in front of a roaring Tigers home crowd.
"It's been a strange few weeks but I love this place, this team," Chessum told TNT Sports. " I love playing here and was chomping at the bit to get back with the boys."
"When you play against these boys you have to do plenty of running, they can score from anywhere. We said defence was going to win us this one and I believe it truly did. Then for Gabe [Hamer] Webb and the boys to do what they did in the corner at the end to score the bonus point."
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'Welford Road in raptures!' - Tigers snatch bonus point with stunning Hamer-Webb try at the death
Video credit: TNT Sports
Having already secured a 26-19 win with the clock in the red, the hosts lacked a potentially vital bonus point, and decided to go for it at the risk of turning the ball over.
After Finn Theobald-Thomas won a turnover in Leicester's half, Freddie Steward delivered a genius cross-field kick to Billy Searle just outside the Tigers' 22.
Having fixed one defender, he passed inside to Hamer-Webb, who rocketed to the try line and dived for the corner to finish with a flourish and pick up the bonus point.
It was a perfect example of the autonomy and trust that Geoff Parling has managed to imbue this side with in recent months. Coming off the back of spearheading Tigers to a PREM Rugby Cup win, Searle called for his side to throw one last roll of the dice and try to come away with five points,
"For me, let's try and get and five. Why not? Back our ability," Searle explained to TNT Sports.
"A money kick from Fred, thankfully I had Gabriel inside me to finish it. There was no way I was getting there. It came off today, a big five points.
"I'm loving it. It suits my game to a tee. Loving having the boys around to feed them, the wingers. All the internationals coming back. It's exciting.
"We had a really good PREM Cup spell and won a trophy, and to bring these boys back in lifts the energy and intensity in training. For me, it's about putting them in space."
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Listen to Parling and any Leicester player this season, and you will have noticed the emphasis on taking it week-by-week and game-by-game.
Even with that mantra, Chessum knew how huge a win over Bristol Bears would be for the play-off race. A bonus point win catapulted them into third, and Bristol down to fifth.
"We can't predict the future. We don't talk about it too much but we knew there was a lot riding on this one. It was fourth v fifth and there was plenty in this. I'm super proud of the boys.
"It's a challenge with the first game back after a Six Nations, how quickly can you get back. We are fortunate in this squad that we have boys playing all over the place. But the boys playing over the last six weeks have been fantastic for this transition.
"We're going to take it game by game. It's a sprint finish. This part of the season, you can blink, and it's gone, so we're going to take it week by week and keep bringing performances like that. We've got some tough games coming up but today was a big one, and I'm really proud of the group."
'Brilliant since the day I came' - Parling on club captain
Parling was also full of plaudits for his side's captain, adding that he was outstanding throughout the Six Nations even as England struggled for results.
The Tigers head coach told TNT Sports: "He's been brilliant, since the day I came. He's been fantastic. I think he was outstanding in the Six Nations even when England struggled.
"I was very clear to him and the others coming back that I want him to be himself and drive our team, and that's what he's done this week.
"There are a lot of good characters in this team. We've got a good balance of working hard and also enjoying each other. That can change in a single moment, so we have to keep working.
"Our training is at a standard right now that's really driving our performance, and we can never let that drop. But if the lads have the chance to enjoy each other's company, I want them to do that."
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Highlights: Tigers triumph in roaring PREM clash with Bears to move into third
Video credit: TNT Sports
It takes a lot to get a smile out of Parling at the best of times and the former England international said he was "almost happy" with the display and bonus point win.
"It didn't feel like fun for me at the time," he joked. "Look at the end, I was screaming for them to kick it out. But the lads backed themselves and played what they saw and it finished off.
"A great result and I'm proud of the performance, proud of our internationals and how they came back this week to work hard in front of our fans. Overall, almost happy.
"We've been week to week and the disadvantage of that is you don't get to refresh as much as you like. The advantage of that, I think we're more battle-hardened than other teams. We'll just keep running and playing well."
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+
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