Magical May leads the way as Tigers roar back
LEICESTER got their Champions Cup campaign back on track with a seventry thrashing of Castres.
Following their 22-18 defeat by Racing 92 in Paris last Saturday, Matt O’Connor’s men needed a big reaction and they duly delivered with a powerful display on their home turf.
Jonny May’s hot streak continued as the 27-year-old England wing bagged a brace.
It was a near perfect night for the Tigers but injuries to Matt Toomua and Ellis Genge will be a worry.
May, who has been in prolific form since his summer move from Gloucester, has told his team-mates of his desire to emulate Jamie Vardy’s feat during Leicester City’s unforgettable Premier League title-winning campaign in 2015-16.
Vardy scored 11 goals in 11 games on the spin for the Foxes in that memorable season. May, who has scored seven tries in his opening seven games for his new club, is looking to follow the England striker’s lead.
On this form, he may just do it.
Leicester held a deserved 9-3 lead thanks to three George Ford penalties before May sparked the game into life in the 16th minute. Genge set the platform with a trademark bulldozing run before flanker Valentino Mapapalangi, on his debut, set fellow Tongan Sione Kalamafoni flying down the touchline with an audacious one-handed offload.
The Leicester No 8 chipped ahead and there was only ever going to be one winner with May racing down the field. England head coach Eddie Jones nodded in approval in the stands.
Castres have not tasted victory on English soil since October 2001 and, on this evidence, you can see why.
It wasn’t long before Leicester had their second try of the night. Once again, Genge did the damage with a storming run and when the Tigers pack recycled the ball, Ben Youngs sniped through a gap and went under the posts. Ford converted to make it 23-3.
Castres looked a mess and simply couldn’t cope with Leicester’s intensity. Skipper Tom Youngs made a big bust in midfield which laid the platform for fullback Telusa Veainu to glide over in the corner. The dominant hosts had the bonus point wrapped up before the break.
Youngs’ deft basketballstyle pass sent Veainu racing in under the posts for his second try of the evening.
Fittingly, it was May who raced away to open the scoring after the break. Castres were a shambles and soon Veainu was racing over in the corner to complete his hat-trick.
Castres finally got a footheld in the contest when Mapapalangi was sent to the sin-bin for infringing at the ruck. Alex Tulou barged over soon after with Rory Kockott adding the conversion.
It was only a brief respite, however, as Nick Malouf ran a superb line to cross for Leicester’s seventh try of the evening.
Worryingly, for England and Leicester, Genge, who had another impressive outing, limped off on the hour mark.
Trailing 54-10, it was looking ominous for the visitors but a late hat-trick from wing David Smith secured a bonus point for Castres.