Leicester Tigers ran in seven tries in a 47-5 victory over neighbours Nottingham in front of a 2,000-strong crowd at Meadow Lane on Saturday afternoon.
Summer signing Billy Twelvetrees claimed two of the four first-half tries and completed his hat-trick during the second half, to go with scores from Ben Pienaar, Geoff Parling, skipper Craig Newby and Richard Blaze.
Both sides looked to use the ball and spread play early on, and Tigers took the lead after 15 minutes, building momentum after Parling had led the charge out of their own half following a Nottingham lineout. After a penalty had been awarded in front of the posts on the Nottingham 22, Tigers controlled a series of scrums, Ben Youngs was held up just short of the line and finally Twelvetrees took Jeremy Staunton’s pass to open the scoring. Staunton’s conversion made it 7-0.
Tom Molenaar found a hole in the Tigers midfield and made 30 metres before being tackled by Johne Murphy, but Tigers were penalised at the ruck and Nottingham maintained possession from the ensuing lineout before the Guinness Premiership champions broke out again.
After a rolling maul was ended with Richard Blaze being felled just short, a second effort from the forwards ended with Pienaar dotting down to increase the lead to 12-0 on the half-hour.
The third try came just two minutes later. Scott Hamilton and Brett Deacon exchanged passes inside the Nottingham half, but the move seemed to have ended when Nic Rouse intercepted for Nottingham, until Twelvetrees ripped the ball back and then beat two defenders on his way to the line. Staunton’s conversion stretched the lead to 19 points.
Nottingham replied with their first points of the afternoon just 60 seconds later when scrum-half Tim Usasz picked up from a ruck inside the Tigers 22 and raced through to score on the left of the posts despite the best efforts of Hamilton on the tryline.
Parling grabbed a fourth try as Tigers controlled possession near the Nottingham line and Staunton’s conversion brought the half to an end with the visitors leading 26-5.
The second half was only two minutes old when Tigers added to the scoreline, Youngs making an excellent break down the right touchline before passing inside for skipper Newby to run in unopposed. Staunton’s conversion stretched the lead to 33-5.
Tigers coach Richard Cockerill made good use of the bench in the second half, giving game-time to the rest of the travelling squad, with hooker Joe Duffey receiving an excellent reception from the home supporters as he was introduced against his former club in the 45th minute.
The Tigers forwards continued to show impressive form, with Blaze adding a sixth try after taking clean possession at a lineout and then getting on the end of another strong maul to score 10 metres in from the left-hand touchline. Staunton’s well-struck conversion made it 40-5.
Twelvetrees completed his hat-trick in the 55th minute, finishing under the posts after some excellent work by Duffey and Newby along the right flank. Staunton’s kick took the Tigers advantage up to 47-5.
Tigers return to action against Cardiff Blues, at the new Cardiff City Stadium on Friday before the final pre-season fixture, at home to Munster on Friday, August 28.
Nottingham: Savage, Cobden, Hayter, Molenaar, Jackson, Taylor, Usasz; Parr, T Youngs, De Plessis, Nimmo, Rouse, Hammond, Sherriff (c), Eggleshaw. Reps: Fowkes, McDonald, Warren, Raven, Baird, Willmott, Harrison, White, Marshall, Tonks, Nirmalendran, Streeter, Barnard.
Tigers: J Murphy, M Tuilagi, Twelvetrees, Allen, Hamilton, Staunton, B Youngs; Ayerza, Davies, Castrogiovanni, Parling, Blaze, Newby (c), Pienaar, B Deacon. Reps: Stankovich, Duffey, Harris, Green, Hemingway, Grindal, Forsyth, Hurrell
Summer signing Billy Twelvetrees claimed two of the four first-half tries and completed his hat-trick during the second half, to go with scores from Ben Pienaar, Geoff Parling, skipper Craig Newby and Richard Blaze.
Both sides looked to use the ball and spread play early on, and Tigers took the lead after 15 minutes, building momentum after Parling had led the charge out of their own half following a Nottingham lineout. After a penalty had been awarded in front of the posts on the Nottingham 22, Tigers controlled a series of scrums, Ben Youngs was held up just short of the line and finally Twelvetrees took Jeremy Staunton’s pass to open the scoring. Staunton’s conversion made it 7-0.
Tom Molenaar found a hole in the Tigers midfield and made 30 metres before being tackled by Johne Murphy, but Tigers were penalised at the ruck and Nottingham maintained possession from the ensuing lineout before the Guinness Premiership champions broke out again.
After a rolling maul was ended with Richard Blaze being felled just short, a second effort from the forwards ended with Pienaar dotting down to increase the lead to 12-0 on the half-hour.
The third try came just two minutes later. Scott Hamilton and Brett Deacon exchanged passes inside the Nottingham half, but the move seemed to have ended when Nic Rouse intercepted for Nottingham, until Twelvetrees ripped the ball back and then beat two defenders on his way to the line. Staunton’s conversion stretched the lead to 19 points.
Nottingham replied with their first points of the afternoon just 60 seconds later when scrum-half Tim Usasz picked up from a ruck inside the Tigers 22 and raced through to score on the left of the posts despite the best efforts of Hamilton on the tryline.
Parling grabbed a fourth try as Tigers controlled possession near the Nottingham line and Staunton’s conversion brought the half to an end with the visitors leading 26-5.
The second half was only two minutes old when Tigers added to the scoreline, Youngs making an excellent break down the right touchline before passing inside for skipper Newby to run in unopposed. Staunton’s conversion stretched the lead to 33-5.
Tigers coach Richard Cockerill made good use of the bench in the second half, giving game-time to the rest of the travelling squad, with hooker Joe Duffey receiving an excellent reception from the home supporters as he was introduced against his former club in the 45th minute.
The Tigers forwards continued to show impressive form, with Blaze adding a sixth try after taking clean possession at a lineout and then getting on the end of another strong maul to score 10 metres in from the left-hand touchline. Staunton’s well-struck conversion made it 40-5.
Twelvetrees completed his hat-trick in the 55th minute, finishing under the posts after some excellent work by Duffey and Newby along the right flank. Staunton’s kick took the Tigers advantage up to 47-5.
Tigers return to action against Cardiff Blues, at the new Cardiff City Stadium on Friday before the final pre-season fixture, at home to Munster on Friday, August 28.
Nottingham: Savage, Cobden, Hayter, Molenaar, Jackson, Taylor, Usasz; Parr, T Youngs, De Plessis, Nimmo, Rouse, Hammond, Sherriff (c), Eggleshaw. Reps: Fowkes, McDonald, Warren, Raven, Baird, Willmott, Harrison, White, Marshall, Tonks, Nirmalendran, Streeter, Barnard.
Tigers: J Murphy, M Tuilagi, Twelvetrees, Allen, Hamilton, Staunton, B Youngs; Ayerza, Davies, Castrogiovanni, Parling, Blaze, Newby (c), Pienaar, B Deacon. Reps: Stankovich, Duffey, Harris, Green, Hemingway, Grindal, Forsyth, Hurrell
