More than 5,500 supporters were treated to an entertaining, high-scoring pre-season affair between a youthful Leicester Tigers outfit and Nottingham Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Geoff Parling’s side scored twelve tries to Nottingham’s four to register a 50-point, 76-26, win, including a hat-trick for Jamie Blamire, in his first run out in Tigers colours, and a double for youngster George Pearson.
Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Ale Loman, Harry Palmer, Joaquin Moro, Emeka Ilione, and Tom Threlfall also put their names on the scoresheet.
Charlie Titcombe contributed three conversions in the first-half and Orlando Bailey added five in the second-half.
A fast start from the home side saw Hamer-Webb cross just two minutes into the match before fellow wing Hassell-Collins crossed in the ninth to make it 10-0.
Both sides traded blows over the next 15 minutes before Loman crashed over from close range, and Titcombe converted, and Pearson crossed for his first in the 28th minute. Titcombe was on target again to take it out to 24-0.
Nottingham got their first on the half hour mark but Tigers hit back almost immediately when Palmer scored.
The visitors cut the deficit to 17 points when Luke Rokomoce got over and Gwyn Parkes converted the try with five minutes to go in the first half.
With the clock in the red, Pearson got his double when he intercepted a Nottingham pass and scored under the posts. Titcombe converted the try to see the home side lead 36-12 at the break.
Blamire had his first just two minutes into the second half followed by Moro getting over in the 46th.
The replacement hooker got a second in the 50th minute and, with Bailey’s three from three to start the half, Leicester were out to a 57-12 lead.
Nottingham had a third in the 55th minute when front rower Aniseko Sio barged his way through the Tigers defence and the visitors converted to make it 57-19 with 25 minutes remaining.
Blamire made it a hat-trick in the 59th minute, and Bailey converted, before Ilione got over only sixty seconds after the restart, which Bailey also added to with another successful attempt on goal, to make it 71-19 with 20 minutes still left to play.
Nottingham got their fourth in the 70th minute before Threlfall, off the bench, scored the final points of the game when he scored Leicester’s twelfth of the afternoon and stretched the difference to 50 points, 76-26, where it would remain.
Commentary
VICTORY OVER NOTTS
An entertaining Pre-Season fixture at home comes to an end!
TRY | TOM THRELFALL
A late score out wide from youngster Tom Threlfall off the bench!
CON | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors take their tally to 26 with a successful conversion attempt.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors get over for another on the end of an impressive counter attack from inside their own half.
CON | ORLANDO BAILEY
Bailey lands another conversion attempt from the tee!
TRY | EMEKA ILIONE
Some slick, quick hands to left and Emeka Ilione gets over in the corner!
CON | ORLANDO BAILEY
Bailey adds two more to the tally from the kicking tee!
TRY | JAMIE BLAMIRE
That's a HAT-TRICK for Jamie Blamire from the back of a dominant driving maul!
CON | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
Successful attempt from the visitors takes their tally to 19 points with 25 minutes remaining.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors get over for their first half of the second half through front rower Aniseko Sio.
CON | ORLANDO BAILEY
Orlando Bailey lands another attempt on goal to extend the lead by two with half an hour remaining.
TRY | JAMIE BLAMIRE
Jamie Blamire gets over for his second!
CON | ORLANDO BAILEY
Orlando Bailey lands his second attempt to help bring up the half century!
TRY | JOAQUIN MORO
The Argentine goes over after being gifted a free run to the line from an Orland Bailey break and offload.
CON | ORLANDO BAILEY
Orlando Bailey adds the conversion to extend the lead!
TRY | JAMIE BLAMIRE
Jamie Blamire crashes over from close range!
BACK IN ACTION!
The second 40 is underway at Mattioli Woods Welford Road!
WE LEAD AT THE BREAK!
The lads take a 24-point lead into the break at Mattioli Woods Welford Road!
CON | CHARLIE TITCOMBE
Charlie Titcombe adds the extras from in front.
TRY | GEORGE PEARSON
A second for the afternoon for George Pearson, who intercepts a Nottingham pass inside their own half.
CON | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
Gwyn Parks lands the sideline attempt for the visitors.
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors hit back from the restart and score in the corner through Luke Rokomoce.
TRY | HARRY PALMER
Joseph Woodward slices through the Nottingham defence and the young lock, Harry Palmer, is in support, before having to turn on his own speed to get over!
TRY | NOTTINGHAM RUGBY
The visitors get over for their first, through Kegan Christian-Goss, with an impressive attacking move from inside their own half.
CON | CHARLIE TITCOMBE
Successful attempt from Charlie Titcombe.
TRY | GEORGE PEARSON
A dominant lineout, from 5m out, sets up the backline to do their thing, which they do and it's George Pearson who gets over!
CON | CHARLIE TITCOMBE
The fly-half sends the conversion attempt through the posts to extend the lead out to seventeen points.
TRY | ALE LOMAN
A barnstorming run from Ale Loman sees the front rower crash over for our third!
TRY | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
Will Wand makes the break from deep inside our half, finds Joaquin Moro in support, who offloads back to the outside centre, who then finds OHC, and the speedster does the rest!
TRY | GABRIEL HAMER-WEBB
Just two minutes into his Tigers career and GHW shows his wheels down the left touchline to get across for the first of the day!
KICK OFF: PRE-SEASON FIXTURE
We are underway against Nottingham Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road!