Seru Rabeni set up the opening score, breaking clear in midfield and putting Croft in to cut in from the right and touch down. Rabeni added the conversion for a 7-0 lead.
A minute later, after Croft had been held up just short of the line, Rabeni and Tuilagi combined to put Harry Ellis through under the posts. Sam Vesty added the extras. And in the last action of the first half, Ellis tidied up some scrappy ball and set the play off to the left, where Varndell backed himself to beat the cover for speed and sprinted into the corner despite a last-ditch tackle. Vesty added an excellent drop-kick conversion from the touchline as Tigers led 21-0 at half-time.
Scott Bemand was penalised for a knock-on as he looked to widen the gap in the first minute of the second half, but Tigers were not to be denied for long as a scrum taken against the head on halfway led to a try for Croft after good work by Vesty.
The final score came from Tuilagi, wide on the right, as he handed off the tackler, and Tigers wrapped up a second victory.
Tigers:
Croft (B Deacon), Rabeni, H Tuilagi, Bemand (F Murphy), Varndell (Hickie), Vesty, Ellis.
Other Results:
London Irish 19-19 Bath
Gloucester 5-19 Harlequins
Wasps 22-5 Bristol
London Irish 24-19 Northampton
Gloucester 29-21 Sale
Newcastle 10-17 Wasps
