Tigers produce clinical display to honour Matthews
LEICESTER needed only 18 minutes to flatten the Italian visitors in a one-sided match which keeps the Tigers top of Pool 5.
The quick start brought four tries and settled a nervy squad following that dismal defeat to Northampton in the Premiership last week.
Jonny May, who was a constant threat, scored two tries in a resounding victory by nine tries to one. Now Leicester have to repeat the performance next Saturday in Italy.
That quick start was also needed for a far more poignant reason than just to make up for a poor afternoon against their East Midland rivals. Tigers had chosen this match to mark the remarkable lifetime of service to the club by David Matthews who died in the summer aged 82.
In a fitting pre-match ceremony, Peter Wheeler, the present RFU president and fellow Leicester life member, described Matthews as a “veritable legend” for his distinguished career as player, coach and official.
It ended in a prolonged round of applause for a dedicated Tiger who would have praised the way the present XV went to work in the opening quarter.
By the time the Italians had chance to catch breath, Leicester led 26-0 in a fast and furious start. The lead allowed Leicester to bring off Manu Tuilagi in the 26th minute in a precautionary move to protect the centre’s dodgy hamstring.
Murphy said Tuilagi had felt a “little tight” in a hamstring during the week and his substitution came after a further slight reaction.
Overall, Murphy said he was pleased at the victory. “I would have taken 60 points before the game.”
He expected a sterner start from Calvisano but added: “We were very clinical but I thought we took our foot off the gas and looked a little bit slow after we had put the game away.”
Leicester attacked from the start by racing onto Calvisano’s kick off which saw lock Sam Lewis almost bound clear in the first move. That pacey start set the tone for the first quarter where May was Leicester’s sharpest back.
He scored the second and third tries after an opening try from Tuilagi who had the strength to break clear from a move off a line-out.
Leicester maintained the pressure straight from the re-start ending in May skipping down the left wing to score the second.
More sustained pressure, plus the good work of Noel Reid, led to May’s second try while Tigers’ fourth, in the 18th minute, rewarded Lewis for his enterprise.
The lock this time was able to finish off after taking a flat pass in midfield from George Ford who converted three of the four tries for that lead of 26-0.
Calvisano did not capsize completely and gained a try from forward pressure just before the interval through prop Lorenzo Cittadini.
The Italian international had the strength to finish off following a line-out drive. Fly-half Paolo Pescetto converted.
Any thoughts of a Calvisano comeback were swiftly ended by Leicester starting the second half at full throttle. Flanker Tommy Reffell had a good afternoon and his try six minutes into the half rewarded his graft.
Leicester gradually replaced all their England internationals as the half unfolded.
Ford converted the try by Reffell before giving way to Tom Hardwick who converted three of the final four tries.
Leicester always had too much pace for Calvisano and further tries came through wing Adam Thompstone, substitute hooker Jake Kerr, centre Reid and Telusa Veainu who had replaced Tuilagi in the first half.
Veainu’s try was about the best of the second-half scores, the Tongan breaking down the right and having the pace to outlast the defenders and touch down near the posts.