Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill praised Norfolk centre George Catchpole following his Aviva Premiership debut in an 18-15 home win against Gloucester.

'George Catchpole has earned the right to play in that team,' Cockerill said of the 21-year-old former North Walsham player.

'He had a few niggling injuries early in the season but I think he has been a breath of fresh air in the last couple of weeks and he deserved to start.

'He joined us as a kid, got into the academy and his dream was to play for the first team at Welford Road and he was living that dream.

'We've got another academy product out on the field and we hope he goes from strength to strength, along with all those young players.'

The former Norwich School pupil, from St Olaves near Great Yarmouth, performed well in two recent LV= Cup matches to earn his Premiership debut.

He is among a group of youngsters given a chance by Leicester while some of the club's senior stars are away for the Six Nations.

Catchpole started at outside-centre in front of just over 20,000 fans on Friday night, in a match which was won thanks to six successful penalty kicks from Freddie Burns.

'A relatively young team found a way to win a really big pressure game tonight. They can all take credit for that,' Cockerill continued, talking to his club's official website.

'There has been a really good energy in the camp in the last couple of weeks and those younger guys have brought that into the starting team.'

On the same night, another Norfolk member of the Tigers academy, Will Owen, scored a try for England Under-20s in a thumping victory over Italy.

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