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Nine tries in win over neighbours

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Leicester Tigers ran in nine tries in a 59-5 victory over local rivals Nottingham at a rain-soaked Welford Road on Saturday.

Tigers scored four first-half tries to lead 24-5 at the interval, with Johne Murphy, Tom Varndell, Frank Murphy and Owen Finegan all touching down before scrum-half Neil Stenhouse grabbed a reply for the visitors.

Varndell, Ben Herring (2) and Matt Smith (2) added to the score in the second half of Tigers' third pre-season fixture, and the first on home soil.

Without those senior players on duty at the Middlesex Sevens, coach Richard Cockerill gave a longer run-out to his men after using a different team in each half of the previous two games.

Heavy rain fell throughout, making handling difficult, but full-back Johne Murphy had no trouble when he opened the scoring with barely 40 seconds elapsed. A knock-on followed Andy Goode's kick-off and, from the scrum, Murphy bisected the defence to run in to the right of the posts at the Alliance & Leicester Stand end of the ground. Goode's conversion made it 7-0.

Goode provided the inspiration for the second try after 13 minutes with an inch-perfect cross-field kick which Varndell did well to hold on to in the conditions and raced in unopposed from 25 metres.

Frank Murphy grabbed the third try after another strong run by namesake Johne and concerted pressure from the forwards. Goode supplied the conversion to stretch the lead to 19 points.

The Nottingham defence held up another push from the forwards after 32 minutes, with Louis and Brett Deacon in possession just short of the line. But Tigers won back possession quickly and No.8 Finegan scored on his first appearance at Welford Road, pushing over the line from close range to make it 24-0.

The visitors got on the scoresheet just before half-time when Stenhouse appeared on the shoulder of lock Nic Rouse and dived over to score.

With Ollie Dodge on for Johne Murphy at half-time, Tigers opened the second-period scoring after 46 minutes when Goode made a break near halfway and chipped ahead for Varndell to chase, collect and touch down. Goode's conversion made it 31-5.

Boris Stankovich and Ben Herring joined the action in the 48th minute and flanker Herring was immediately on the scoresheet, emerging from under the pile of bodies after a forward drive. Goode once again converted as the score reached 38-5.

Tigers maintained the pressure and quick hands from left to right allowed Matt Smith to dive over in the 60th minute and replacement Paul Burke's extras made it 45-5.

Herring took the score to the 50-point mark after a smart take from a line-out by Richard Blaze and a determined push from the forwards. Burke again converted.

Matt Smith scored the ninth try in similar style to his earlier score, diving in on the right wing to make it 57-5 . Burke's conversion was successful and rounded off the afternoon's scoring.

The pre-season programme continues with a trip to south-west France to take on Bayonne on September 1, followed by the game against Montauban at Welford Road on September 8. Tickets are on sale now.

Tigers: J Murphy, M Smith, O Smith, T Youngs, Varndell, Goode, F Murphy; Moreno, Kayser, White, Blaze, L Deacon (c), B Deacon, Abraham, Finegan
Reps: Stankovich, Davies, Young, Wentzel, Herring, Laussoucq, Burke, O Dodge

Nottingham: Nirmalendran, Savage, A Dodge, Molenaar, Jackson, Thompson, Stenhouse; Parr, Duffey, Hall, Raven, Rouse, Hammond (c), Sheriff, Montagu
Reps: Green, Wilcox, Hopkins, Stannard, Sandhu, Nelson, Eggleshaw, Pilgrim, Byett, Hayter, Wheeler