Tigers sink their teeth into Calvisano with nine tries
Leicester ran in nine tries to crush Rugby Calvisano 59-7 in their European Challenge Cup Pool Five match at Welford Road.
The Tigers blitzed the visitors with four tries inside the opening 16 minutes from Manu Tuilagi, Sam Lewis and two from Jonny May to open up a 26-0 lead, with George Ford landing three conversions.
Although the visitors reduced the deficit before the break to 19 points via a converted try from Lorenzo Cittadini, second-half tries by Tom Reffell, Adam Thompstone, Jake Kerr, Noel Reid and Telusa Veainu added an emphatic touch to the scoreline to make it three wins from three.
Cardiff Blues sit three points behind Leicester after recording an impressive 54-22 victory over French side Pau. Josh Adams could not have asked for a better debut as he crossed for a hat-trick of tries while half-backs Jarrod Evans, with a 22-point haul including two tries, and Tomos Williams helped drive the performance. Ben Thomas, Matthew Morgan and Owen Lane also crossed for the rampant home side while tries from Lucas Rey, Pierre Nueno and Samuel Marques provided token rewards for outclassed Pau.
Bristol also maintained their 100 per cent unbeaten record in Pool Four with a superb 37-11 triumph over Stade
Francais at Ashton Gate. Although Lester Etien gave the visitors the lead with the game’s first try, Bristol went into the break with a 13-8 advantage courtesy of two Ian Madigan penalties either side of a Luke Morahan try.
A penalty apiece early in the second half ensured the tie was still close going into the final 20 minutes before Bristol ran away with the game with converted tries from Harry Thacker, Charles Piutau and Toby Fricker to secure a bonus-point win.
In the same pool, Zebre secured their first win of the tournament with a tight 27-24 victory over Brive.
Worcester claimed a bonus point with a pulsating 34-28 win over
Dragons at Sixways Stadium to end the visitors’ unbeaten start to the competition.
After an Aaron Wainwright try gave Dragons an early 7-3 lead, flanker Taine Basham was shown a red card in the 18th minute.
A try from Ryan Mills helped put Worcester in front 13-10 at half-time.
Rhodri Williams edged Dragons ahead early in the second half before the home side finally took full advantage of the extra man with tries from Ollie Lawrence, Noah Heward and Jono Kitto. Despite a late Luke Baldwin try, Warriors held on for a crucial victory.
In Pool Two, former European champions Toulon remain unbeaten following a 37-17 win at home to London Irish.
France scrum-half Baptiste Serin scored two tries in the first half at the Stade Mayol, sandwiching Steve Mafi’s first try for London Irish that kept his side in touch at the break, as the visitors trailed 15-10.
But Toulon grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after the break via tries from Ramiro Moyano and Masivesi Dakuwaqa to open up a 27-10 advantage before a pair of red cards soured the game for Toulon’s Theo Dachary and Irish flanker TJ Ioane.
Although Tom Fowlie grabbed a late try for the visitors, Toulon finished with a flourish as Moyano grabbed his second try.
Scarlets kept their quarter-final hopes alive with a battling 19-11 win at French club Bayonne. Wales international Leigh Halfpenny announced his return after a postWorld Cup break by kicking four penalties as well as a conversion to Rob Evans’ first-half try. Scrum-half Michael Ruru scored the hosts’ try.