Tigers devour Leinster

LEINSTER shipped five tries in a friendly defeat by English champions Leicester at Welford Road last night. There was little in it at half-time after Ian McKinley’s try had helped keep the visitors within six points at 20-14.

The Leinster fly-half’s score gave his side a 14-6 lead on the half-hour after Fergus McFadden had hit three early penalties. But Tigers scored 31 unanswered points from then on with Alesana Tuilagi and a penalty try giving them the edge at the break.

Dan Hipkiss got on the end of a sublime pass from Toby Flood just five minutes after coming and then Manu Tuilagi finished well in the corner after great work from skipper Geordan Murphy. On 58 minutes, Alesana Tuilagi touched down for his second try to make it 37-14.

Scorers for Leicester Tigers: A Tuliagi 2 tries; D Hipkiss, M Tuliagi try each; Penalty try; T Flood 3 cons, 2 pens. Scorers for Leinster: I McKinley try; F McFadden 3 pens.

LEICESTER: G Murphy (capt); S Hamilton, M Smith, A Allen, A Tuliagi; T Flood, B Youngs; M Ayerza, G Chuter, M Castrogiovanni; C Green, G Skivington; C Newby, B Woods, T Waldrom.

Replacements: D Hipkiss for Smith, D Cole for Ayerza (both h/t), J Staunton for Flood (55), S Hamilton for Murphy (57), E Slater for Green (59), B Twelvetrees for Allen (60), J Grindal for Youngs (63), T Armes for Newby (64), D Markham for Waldrom (70).

LEINSTER: L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, F McFadden, E Sheridan, N Morris; I McKinley, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, S Shawe; N Hines, D Toner; D Ryan, S O’Brien (capt), S Keogh.

Replacements: J Harris-Wright for Strauss (60), J McGrath for van der Merwe (73), S Maguire for Shawe (49), E O’Donoghue for Toner (29), P Ryan for D Ryan (73), P O’Donohoe, I Nacewa for McKinley (50), M Keating for Kearney (64), M Galarza for Hines (53), E Sheriff, I Madigan for Fitzgerald (50), B Macken for Sheridan (59), B Marshall for Koegh (55)

Referee: Andrew Small (RFU)