Tigers took to the field with the same backline that started against the Ospreys, and with Boris Stankovich, Martin Castrogiovanni and Geoff Parling coming into the forward pack. Viadana made one late change to their line-up with Pablo Canavosio replaced at scrum-half by Andrea Brancoli.

A large contingent of travelling supporters gave the team a rousing welcome as Louis Deacon led them out.
Viadana, in orange and black, kicked off but it was the visitors who opened the scoring when Staunton landed a penalty in the fifth minute after the hosts had halted a promising attack with an offence at a ruck.

Three minutes later, Staunton turned down a longer kick to go for touch and the decision paid off as Murphy grabbed the opening try of the game. Lewis Moody was at the heart of the drive after possession had been won at the lineout, then a long pass from Staunton brought Hamilton into the attack and the New Zealander put Murphy in at the right-hand corner.

Richard Blaze, on as a blood replacement for Louis Deacon, was penalised shortly after joining the action and Viadana fly-half Pierra Hola chipped the penalty over from 25 metres for the hosts’ opening score.

Sixty seconds later full-back Gary Law had an opportunity to cut the deficit again, but he fired wide of the posts from a penalty on halfway.

But Viadana did not have to wait long for a score as Hola’s clever crossfield kick found Robertson and he beat Hamilton into the right-hand corner. Hola’s touchline conversion shaved the outside of the right post to leave the scores level at 8-8.

Tigers provided an instant response when James Grindal burst through a tackle on the edge of the Viadana 22, Anthony Allen provided the support and his short pass allowed Hamilton to finish just to the left of the posts.

A third try followed in the next attack, after 36 minutes, when Lucas Amorosino showed quick hands to put Tom Croft into possession on the left and the Tigers flanker showed the strength and control to dot down one-handed, despite the attention of three tacklers. Staunton landed a perfect conversion from at touchline to put Tigers 22-8 ahead.

That was the way it stayed at the interval as Viadana full-back Law fell short with another long-range penalty just before half-time.

Tigers started the second half positively with a length-of-the-field attack nearly bringing another score. After turning over possession on their own 22, a long pass from Billy Twelvetrees gave Allen a chance to attack space, then replacement Matt Smith took play on before Amorosino was pulled down just 10 metres short of the Viadana tryline.

Smith had just replaced Staunton, and Ben Youngs joined the action after 50 minutes, taking over at scrum-half from Grindal.

Hola opened the second-half scoring with a penalty from in front of the posts after 55 minutes.

The hosts then broke out of their own 22 and, when Twelvetrees was penalised for not releasing the ball, Hola chipped into the corner, only to see Parling and Castrogiovanni reclaim possession.

Youngs then made a trademark burst from his own half and Tigers threatened another score until Amorosino was tackled into touch 15 metres short.

The bonus-point score came on the hour when a clever inside pass from Smith put Hamilton clean through for his second try of the afternoon. Twelvetrees put the conversion wide.

Tigers went down to 14 men three minutes later when Jordan Crane was yellow-carded for holding back Law as he ran on to a pass from replacement fly-half Mike Woodrow. From the penalty, Tigers kept out the initial drive, then held up another two pushes for the line in the left-hand corner, and then Castrogiovanni stole possession at a further lineout just five metres out.

Amorosino then grabbed a try as Smith hacked ahead from Woodrow’s dropped pass and the Argentinean wing beat full-back Law to run in from 20 metres out. Twelvetrees landed the conversion to stretch the lead to 34-11.

Hamilton completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute after a superb burst through the Viadana defence and pass out to the left by replacement hooker Joe Duffey. Hamilton scored in the corner.

Minutes later, referee Pascal Gauzere awarded a penalty try as Tigers’ scrum pushed Viadana back over their line, and Twelvetrees added the conversion to round off the scoring.