Leicester Tigers moved up to fifth in the Aviva Premiership table with a 26-5 bonus-point win against London Welsh on Sunday afternoon.
Tigers scored two tries in each half to leave the Kassam Stadium with maximum points for their efforts in a scrappy encounter.
Hooker Harry Thacker finished off two close-range lineout drives in the first-half, his first tries in the Aviva Premiership for the club.
Tigers added a neatly worked third in the second half, Kitchener barrelling over from 12m after good work by the back division.
And replacement No8 Robert Barbieri grabbed the bonus point fourth score after more good work by the pack at a lineout.
Freddie Burns returned at fly-half with Owen Williams moving to the bench, and there was a first Aviva Premiership start for the club for Tommy Bell at full-back. Adam Thompstone made his first start of the season on the wing after his recovery from a thumb injury.
Tigers applied early pressure on the Welsh defence with a couple of close-range penalty lineouts, but with the hosts struggling to defend the second drive Tigers spilled possession and the chance went away.
Tigers were awarded a penalty at a scrum close to halfway and Burns pointed to the posts but was wide with his kick.
It was a stuttering start to the game with knock-ons punctuating the play. It included one by Michele Rizzo who looked to have burst through a gap on the Welsh 22 only to spill possession.
Another penalty at a lineout drive gave Burns a second attempt at goal but his kick from wide on the left drifted across the posts.
James Down charged down Burns’ clearance to give Welsh possession in the Tigers half for the first time in the game. Tigers closed the space on the left but play was switched inside where captain Tom May’s attempted drop goal drifted wide of the posts.
Welsh took the lead with the opening try after 23 minutes, Seb Jewell spotting a huge overlap on the left and picking out Nick Scott with his kick, who had a free run-in to the line.
Burns made a break off the back of a lineout as Tigers looked to make an instant reply, but Welsh stole possession at the next ruck to end the attack.
Tigers were on top in the set-piece and a scrum penalty allowed them to kick for the corner. Kitchener secured the throw, hooker Harry Thacker joined in the drive and applied the finish for his first Aviva Premiership try to level the scores.
The Tigers tryline survived a scare five mintes before the break when Lachlan McCaffrey charged down Bell’s clearance. The ball flew into the Tigers in-goal area but Burns outpaced McCaffrey to touch down for the 22 drop-out.
Breaks by Thompstone, Rizzo and Crane took Tigers 40m into the Welsh 22, where they won a penalty. Again Tigers went to the corner, this time Gibson was the target but the outcome was the same with Thacker scoring the try. The hooker broke off from the drive, feigned a pass to David Mele and dived over at the corner. Bell took over kicking duties and landed the conversion to give Leicester a 12-5 half-time lead.
Tigers began the second half brightly, working the Welsh defence through a series of phases before Jamie Gibson burst through a gap. His run took him to within 5m of the line but he spilled possession in the tackle and Welsh cleared.
But Tigers put together a flowing move off the lineout to score their third try. Allen’s break in midfield took them behind the defence, he had Robert Barbieri and Thompstone in support before Scully made further inroads on the right. Play was moved back inside where Kitchener trundled over from 15m out. Bell landed the conversion to move Leicester 19-5 ahead.
Barbieri , on as a replacement at No8 for Crane, turned try-scorer for the bonus-point try after 65 minutes. An attacking lineout was again the source, Gibson set up the drive and Barbieri added the finish for his second Tigers try. Williams, on for Burns at fly-half, added the conversion to give Tigers a 26-5 lead.
Welsh threatened an instant reply through their Tongan No8 Opeti Fonua. He peeled off the back of a maul but knocked on under huge pressure from Thacker, Mele, Gibson and Laurence Pearce as he reached for the corner.
Welsh targeted the same corner again with Will Robinson’s kick attempting to pick out Seb Stegmann but Bell was alive to the danger and dotted the ball down in-goal for the drop-out.
Academy products George Tresidder and Jake Farnworth came on for David Mele and Julian Salvi respectively for their Aviva Premiership debuts. Hooker Farnworth packed down in the front row at the next scrum with Thacker, the Aviva man-of-the-match moving to flanker.
Tigers scored two tries in each half to leave the Kassam Stadium with maximum points for their efforts in a scrappy encounter.
Hooker Harry Thacker finished off two close-range lineout drives in the first-half, his first tries in the Aviva Premiership for the club.
Tigers added a neatly worked third in the second half, Kitchener barrelling over from 12m after good work by the back division.
And replacement No8 Robert Barbieri grabbed the bonus point fourth score after more good work by the pack at a lineout.
Freddie Burns returned at fly-half with Owen Williams moving to the bench, and there was a first Aviva Premiership start for the club for Tommy Bell at full-back. Adam Thompstone made his first start of the season on the wing after his recovery from a thumb injury.
Tigers applied early pressure on the Welsh defence with a couple of close-range penalty lineouts, but with the hosts struggling to defend the second drive Tigers spilled possession and the chance went away.
Tigers were awarded a penalty at a scrum close to halfway and Burns pointed to the posts but was wide with his kick.
It was a stuttering start to the game with knock-ons punctuating the play. It included one by Michele Rizzo who looked to have burst through a gap on the Welsh 22 only to spill possession.
Another penalty at a lineout drive gave Burns a second attempt at goal but his kick from wide on the left drifted across the posts.
James Down charged down Burns’ clearance to give Welsh possession in the Tigers half for the first time in the game. Tigers closed the space on the left but play was switched inside where captain Tom May’s attempted drop goal drifted wide of the posts.
Welsh took the lead with the opening try after 23 minutes, Seb Jewell spotting a huge overlap on the left and picking out Nick Scott with his kick, who had a free run-in to the line.
Burns made a break off the back of a lineout as Tigers looked to make an instant reply, but Welsh stole possession at the next ruck to end the attack.
Tigers were on top in the set-piece and a scrum penalty allowed them to kick for the corner. Kitchener secured the throw, hooker Harry Thacker joined in the drive and applied the finish for his first Aviva Premiership try to level the scores.
The Tigers tryline survived a scare five mintes before the break when Lachlan McCaffrey charged down Bell’s clearance. The ball flew into the Tigers in-goal area but Burns outpaced McCaffrey to touch down for the 22 drop-out.
Breaks by Thompstone, Rizzo and Crane took Tigers 40m into the Welsh 22, where they won a penalty. Again Tigers went to the corner, this time Gibson was the target but the outcome was the same with Thacker scoring the try. The hooker broke off from the drive, feigned a pass to David Mele and dived over at the corner. Bell took over kicking duties and landed the conversion to give Leicester a 12-5 half-time lead.
Tigers began the second half brightly, working the Welsh defence through a series of phases before Jamie Gibson burst through a gap. His run took him to within 5m of the line but he spilled possession in the tackle and Welsh cleared.
But Tigers put together a flowing move off the lineout to score their third try. Allen’s break in midfield took them behind the defence, he had Robert Barbieri and Thompstone in support before Scully made further inroads on the right. Play was moved back inside where Kitchener trundled over from 15m out. Bell landed the conversion to move Leicester 19-5 ahead.
Barbieri , on as a replacement at No8 for Crane, turned try-scorer for the bonus-point try after 65 minutes. An attacking lineout was again the source, Gibson set up the drive and Barbieri added the finish for his second Tigers try. Williams, on for Burns at fly-half, added the conversion to give Tigers a 26-5 lead.
Welsh threatened an instant reply through their Tongan No8 Opeti Fonua. He peeled off the back of a maul but knocked on under huge pressure from Thacker, Mele, Gibson and Laurence Pearce as he reached for the corner.
Welsh targeted the same corner again with Will Robinson’s kick attempting to pick out Seb Stegmann but Bell was alive to the danger and dotted the ball down in-goal for the drop-out.
Academy products George Tresidder and Jake Farnworth came on for David Mele and Julian Salvi respectively for their Aviva Premiership debuts. Hooker Farnworth packed down in the front row at the next scrum with Thacker, the Aviva man-of-the-match moving to flanker.
