A moment of inspiration from Austin Healey proved crucial as Leicester Tigers
continued their winning start to the season with a rousing victory over
Newcastle at Kingston Park.
The home side were 13 points up and in total control until Healey spotted
Gordean Murphy on the opposite touchline as he lined up a tap penalty close to
the Falcons line.
With the Newcastle defence sleeping following a long injury break, Healey
produced a perfect cross field kick which his winger took cleanly before
strolling home.
Confidence and self-belief restored, Leicester's forwards took their familiar
stranglehold on the contest and only a miserable afternoon with the boot, first
for Tim Stimpson, then Murphy himself, prevented the winning margin reaching
comfortable proportions.
Stimpson managed just one successful kick from six attempts before sustaining
a nasty gash to the head and Murphy fared little better, converting once but
missing two further chances.
Two Jonny Wilkinson penalties, plus a conversion from the England fly-half
after lock Stuart Grimes had reached over the line had given Newcastle the
perfect start.
In front of a vociferous, if disappointing crowd, the north-east side
initially appeared to have the strength in defence to maintain their lead, only
for Healey to spot a fatal flaw.
Murphy's try reduced Newcastle's effectiveness and worrying mistakes began to
creep into their play, handing Leicester the initiative.
Centre Leon Lloyd took Healey's long pass to grab try number two and although
Stimpson failed with an apparently simple conversion, the British Lion found his
range with a penalty shortly afterwards to level the scores.
Wilkinson replied to nose Newcastle back in front at the break but visitors
hooker Dorian West spearheaded a familiar Tigers forward rubble five minutes
into the second period to give Leicester the lead for the first time.
Within two minutes, Healey sliced through the Newcastle defence on halfway and
though he was collared by John Leslie, the Leicester man found Winston Stanley
on his inside and the Canadian winger sprinted home to bag the visitors fourth
try and a welcome bonus point.
The goal kicking problems afflicting Stimpson and Murphy kept Newcastle within
range and Wilkinson was showing them how it should be done at the other end with
two successful strikes of his own to pull Newcastle to within a single score.
Though Leicester were running onto the ball at speed and causing constant
harassment to the Newcastle line-out, the tension of missed chances began to
weigh heavily upon them.
One centre-field fracas was prolonged when Va'aiga Tuigamala laid into Lloyd
as the visitors centre laid on the floor.
Referee Robin Goodliffe deemed the incident to be worthy of nothing more than
a ticking off, although less than friendly words were exchanged between Healey
and Newcastle prop George Graham.
Newcastle continued to press for victory but their handling was not good
enough to wedge Leicester in their own half.
Instead, Leicester were allowed to control possession inside their opponents
territory, maintain their unbeaten record at Kingston Park and their position at
the head of the Zurich Premiership.
Teams:
Newcastle: Cook, Botham, May,
Leslie, Tuigamala, Wilkinson,
Charlton, Graham, Howe, Hurter, Grimes, Weir, Arnold, Mower,
Beattie, Balshen.
Replacements: Peel for Graham (75), Balshen for Howe (31),
Jenner for Arnold (71), Ward for Balshen (67).
Not Used: Massey, Chilten, Vyvyan.
Tries: Grimes.
Cons: Wilkinson.
Pens: Wilkinson 5.
Leicester: Stimpson, Murphy, Lloyd, Howard, Stanley, Healey,
Grindal, Jelley, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, Gustard,
Back, Corry.
Replacements: Newmarch for Stimpson (44).
Not Used: Gelderbloom, Rowntree, Balding, Short, Cockerill,
Nebbett.
Tries: Murphy, Lloyd, West, Stanley.
Cons: Murphy.
Pens: Stimpson.
Att: 4,298
Ref: R Goodliffe (Sheffield).
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