Alesana Tuilagi was in impressive form, scoring Tigers’ first and final tries of the night, and there were also scores for Dan Hipkiss, Manu Tuilagi and a penalty try.
Toby Flood landed the rest of the points in Tigers’ final game before the start of the new Aviva Premiership Rugby season, which was watched by more than 11,000 supporters.
Director of rugby Richard Cockerill gave first Welford Road starts to new arrivals George Skivington and Thomas Waldrom in the pack. Fellow summer signings Rob Hawkins, Lee Robinson and Horacio Agulla were named among the replacements and made their entries during the second-half.
The Leinster side included British & Irish Lions internationals Luke Fitzgerald, of Ireland, and Scotland’s Nathan Hines.
The game kicked off in brilliant late summer sunshine and Tigers went ahead through an early penalty Toby Flood penalty before Fergus McFadden landed the first three points for Leinster.
Ben Youngs then needed to be alert to gather Niall Morris’s kick ahead with Morris and Fitzgerald bearing down on him deep in the Tigers 22.
Leinster drew level with McFadden’s second penalty of the game midway through the first half.
Tigers hit back when Geordan Murphy made the most of an advantage in midfield and his flat pass found Ayerza on the wing. The Argentina international made 30m to put Leinster on the back foot and draw a penalty from the visitors. Tigers opted for the lineout but were unable to find a way through the massed Leinster defence.
Instead, the visitors took play into the Tigers half and when Leicester were penalised for offside and McFadden added another penalty to nose Leinster ahead for the first time.
A quickly-taken penalty by Youngs then opened up the Leinster defence. The charge was taken up by Skivington and Waldrom before Alesana Tuilagi knocked on the final pass 10m from the line.
Leinster scored the first try of the contest just before the half-hour. Fly-half Ian McKinley chipped over the onrushing Tigers defence into the left corner where the bounce deceived Scott Hamilton allowing McKinley to apply the finishing touch. It went unconverted as Leinster led 14-6.
Tigers hit back immediately and went over for their first try of the night. The scrum had Leinster under pressure and with the advantage of a penalty, Alesana Tuilagi joined in at speed to barge his way over. Flood added the extras to leave Tigers trailing by one point.
Tigers finishing the half with a flourish and a second try. Again it was through power of the pack, who had Leinster back-pedalling at a scrum and referee Andrew Small awarding a penalty try. Flood added the extras as Tigers lead 20-14 at the break.
Tigers added a third shortly after the restart when Dan Hipkiss straightened onto Flood’s delicate pass and over from 10m out. Flood’s conversion extended the lead to 27-14.
It needed determined defence on the Tigers line to preserve the lead as replacement Ed O’Donoghue was held up over the line.
Instead it was Tigers who went over for their fourth try of the night with Manu Tuilagi applying the finishing touch on the right to a sweeping move that involved Allen and Murphy.
His brother Alesana then added his second try of the game in the opposite corner. Another lovely move through the backs ended with Alesana launching himself over for Tigers’ fifth score and to set the seal on a 37-14 win.
