Burns the star as Tigers slay the Dragons in Cup
FREDDIE BURNS capped an energetic first half by scoring a memorable individual try to ease Leicester to a convincing success at Welford Road.
Burns had excelled in Leicester’s opening win in the Anglo-Welsh Cup at Bath and the fly-half repeated the act here on his home patch.
His 25th-minute try helped Leicester to an unassailable half-time lead of 27-3.
The score was a reward for his determination in chasing down his own kick to beat the covering Dragons at the corner.
And Burns then won the verdict from referee Andrew Jackson, who had no TV replays to help, after protests from Dragons for a knock on.
The try – Leicester’s fourth – left Dragons’ coach Shaun Connor frustrated. “We thought it was a knock-on but the referee was far closer than I was.
“We were very frustrated at half-time because Leicester had scored three of their tries from our own turn overs.”
Leicester fed off the free gifts to once more show they are trying to play a more open style of game, led in this match by a midfield of Burns at No.10 and Owain Williams, a rival for the fly-half jersey, at inside centre.
The way the duo ran the game in the first half there must be a possibility they will be paired again when the Premiership resumes next weekend, Leicester hosting Harlequins on Sunday.
Another positive from Leicester’s win, following the 21-20 victory at Bath, was a first full game of the season for injury-troubled flanker Tom Croft.
Leicester’s assistant coach Richard Blaze said the back-to-back wins had given the squad plenty of confidence.
“We got the performance and we came away with no injuries either,” he added.
Tigers had taken a firm hold from the 11th minute of a scrappy game played on a good surface despite the rain.
Burns landed a penalty before Leicester’s pressure
paid off in a try for Williams, the back capitalising on Adam Thompstone’s good work.
The wing was another Leicester back to have a good afternoon.
After a penalty from Dragons’ Geraint Rhys Jones, Thompstone finished off by diving athletically to score at the corner following a move off a line-out starting on the other side.
And Leicester stretched away from Dragons by scoring two more in four minutes in the lead up to half-time.
Prop Greg Bateman showed good pace to score and was followed by Burns’ break-out which started with the fly-half chipping ahead from near halfway.
The second half was a thorough turn off and both teams had a player sin binned.
Leicester lost lock Harry Wells in the 48th minute followed by Dragons substitute prop in Leon Brown on 70.
The first 33 minutes of the second half brought only a penalty from Burns and a scrum contest that was thoroughly unappetising.
Leicester finished the stronger.
Ellis Genge, the prop back from England training duty, was awarded a try after an eight-man drive off a lineout.
The sixth and final try came in the last minute, centre Jack Roberts racing through for a try which was converted by full-back George Worth.