Rugby: Leicester cup campaign up and running after Gwent win

Leicester 34 Gwent Dragons 3

The Tigers, beaten by Stade Français in Paris last weekend, won 34-3, scoring four tries to clinch a bonus point.

And there is now just one point separating all four sides in Pool One, ahead of the Christmas break in European action.

Wings Ollie Smith (two) and Neil Baxter scored three of Leicester's tries, while the other was a 90-metre interception effort by centre Leon Lloyd.

Fly-half Ramiro Pez kicked 14 points, while the Dragons could only manage a Percy Montgomery penalty in reply.

"In terms of the 80 minutes, I thought that we played very, very well," said rugby director Richards, whose team had already suffered four home defeats in league and cup competition this term.

"I thought the time was running out in terms of us clinching a bonus point. We had so much pressure, but in the end, we secured the bonus point in style when Ollie Smith scored a great try."

Leicester fielded seven England internationals in their pack, and it would have been eight had flanker Lewis Moody not withdrawn from the starting line-up because of a foot injury.

Elsewhere, Saracens play-maker Thomas Castaignede scored 32 points as his side romped past Rugby Roma into the Parker Pen Challenge Cup draw.

Saracens won 82-5 at Vicarage Road to earn a match with Glasgow after running in 12 tries, including two from Castaignede who converted all but one for the third-highest individual tally in Challenge Cup history.

The Saracens back line ran in tries at will, with winger Darren O'Mahony, centre Denis Cech and full-back Adryan Winnan all scoring braces.

Three front-rowers Simon Sparks, Robbie Russell and Raphael Ibanez also touched down. South African full-back Marius Goosen scored the visitors' only points.

Mark Mapletoft scored 13 first-half points to give London Irish a 36-24 victory over French club Montauban, who won the first leg.

The English club advance on aggregate to play Narbonne, with Montauban also going through where they join Beziers as lucky losers.

London Irish full-back Michael Horak scored a try in each half, while Canada back-rower Phil Murphy also touched down in the first half.