Leicester held off Newcastle at Kingston Park for first Premiership win

Leicester Tigers secured their first Premiership victory of the season at Kingston Park against Newcastle Red Bulls on 3 October 2026. Former Newcastle winger Adam Radwan scored on his return to Kingston Park as Leicester recorded their first win after a run of winless matches.

Radwan moved to Leicester Tigers in January 2025 after eight and a half seasons at Newcastle, a detail noted ahead of Sunday’s encounter. Leicester's victory ended a sequence of poor results that stretched back into last season, and arrived six days after they were beaten by Saracens by two points. Newcastle, playing their first home match of the campaign, had threatened a late comeback despite falling short.

Newcastle took an early lead when Obi Ene crossed three minutes into his Premiership debut after collecting fly-half Brett Connon's cut-out pass. Leicester replied through hooker Samiuela Moli, who finished at the back of a driving maul; Billy Searle's conversion put the Tigers narrowly ahead. Gabriel Hamer-Webb was twice involved in pivotal defensive moments, first being forced into touch by Christian Wade and then producing an outstanding try-saving challenge on Harrison Obatoyinbo.

Radwan then latched on to Freddie Steward's grubber kick to score, and Searle converted and later added a penalty to extend Leicester's advantage. Newcastle missed two presentable chances before half-time, and the second half began scrappily until a Leicester replacement, Will Wand, produced a textbook challenge to deny Ene a second try.

Radwan squandered a separate opportunity by kicking the ball dead with open field ahead, and Newcastle capitalised when George McGuigan powered over from a pick-and-go to reduce the deficit to five points. Leicester responded when Will Hurd's quick tap and score was converted by Searle to restore a two-score cushion with 12 minutes remaining. Newcastle worked their way through again when Ollie Leatherbarrow's carry allowed Cameron Jordan to score, with Zack Henry adding the conversion, but Leicester held on after late advances from Wade as they kicked to touch to seal the win.

Newcastle Red Bulls director of rugby Dan McFarland told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I'm really disappointed, to be honest. It was a game we could have won. Really pleased with the way we approached the game. I thought we were full of effort, full of energy. "Most importantly, we were full of the endeavour that we wanted to put in, in terms of the way we wanted to play the game. "Unfortunately, we were not accurate enough in key areas - but that will grow. "We are trying not to play in a boring way. Today, we weren't where we wanted to be. In the first half, we gave away penalties at set-piece and let them into our 22. I thought we improved in that area as the game went on."

Leicester Tigers head coach Geoff Parling told BBC Radio Leicester: "Gritty and dogged. Defensively, some good resolve and they're [Newcastle] going to break some teams this year with their quality attack and good speed. "You go all pre-season and you try to build some real cohesion and you lose a lot of guys in the same position, but no excuses, we've just got to be better. I've got to help those guys to be able to execute in those moments. "There's loads to improve on. The general feeling in the changing room is disappointment, which is great for me. "Accuracy in the second half, especially at set-piece, we didn't allow ourselves to build up some pressure."

Newcastle Red Bulls: Obatoyinbo; Wade, Hearle, Harris, Ene; Connon, Elliott; Rakete-Stones, McGuigan, Millar Mills; Usher, Jordan, Hicks, Christie (capt), Sotutu. Replacements: Fletcher, Brocklebank, Harper, Molina, Leatherbarrow, Graham, Benitez Cruz, Henry.

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Bailey, Hamer-Webb; Searle, Van Poortvliet (capt); Vunipola, Moli, Heyes; Thompson, Henderson, Wainwright, Reffell, Cracknell. Replacements: Thunder, Haffar, Hurd, Manz, Moro, Whiteley, Wand, Hassell-Collins.

The victory was Leicester's first of the Premiership season and their first win in seven matches in all competitions, a dismal run that stretches back into last season.