Holders Leicester battered Beziers into Heineken Cup submission as they resumed normal service at their fortress Welford Road on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers may have seen their five-year, 57-match unbeaten record in the league demolished by Northampton in their last home game.

But there was never any danger of a repeat as Leicester responded by romping to an eight try destruction of their French visitors.

Samoan wing Freddie Tuilagi ended a barren run of 18-games with a try hat-trick while full-back Geordan Murphy claimed the man of the match award with a marvellous all-round display that included an 18-point haul.

The convincing victory left unbeaten Leicester in command of pool one and on course for a quarter-final berth.

Though they will still need to beat Neath and Amatori & Calvisano in their remaining games to stand any chance of enjoying vital home advantage in the knock-out stages of a competition they have won for the past two years.

Beziers, desperate for victory after losing to Leicester last week, made eight changes for the return and produced an enterprising start against their hosts.

But Leicester effectively killed off the game with a devastating three-try burst in the space of 14 first half minutes after the teams had been tied at 3-3.

Powerhouse flier Tuilagi chased his own hopeful hack from a wild pass to win the race for the loose ball and grab the opening try, his momentum almost taking him into the advertising hoardings behind the goal-line.

Lock Louis Deacon added the second following a short pass by hooker Dorian West after Ireland full-back Murphy had been denied his 50th try for Leicester as his meandering run too him right to the Beziers line.

West then rounded-off an unstoppable forward drive from a line-out a few metres out to give his side a commanding 20-3 lead at half-time.

Any hope the visitors harboured of a second-half comeback were destroyed as Leicester produced a double-try salvo in the space of just five minutes.

Tuilagi, who had managed just one try in his previous 11 Heineken Cup appearances, raced over from 10 yards to grab his second of the afternoon.

On their next attack Australian centre Rod Kafer burst through the midfield and despite a couple of Beziers players trying to grab his jersey forced his way over at the posts.

Beziers refused to buckle despite Leicester's overwhelming superiority and a fine forward effort saw Georgia-born lock Vano Nadiradze emerge with the try then outside-half Gonzalo Quesada converted to add to his early penalty.

But Murphy capped a fine all-round display by finally claiming that 50th try for the club.

The full-back was left with the simple task of jogging over after replacement forward Darren Garforth realised he was not going to make the line having suddenly finding himself in space, opting to pop up the ball for Murphy instead.

Murphy's devastating break then set-up Tuilagi for his hat-trick before replacement Sam Vesty celebrated his first try for the club with a simple score in injury time.

There was also good news off the field for Leicester with the England duo of Neil Back (eye) and Lewis Moody (shoulder) both making recoveries from their injuries and both could be available for selection in the next three weeks.

Teams:

Leicester: Murphy, Lloyd, Smith, Kafer, Tuilagi, Healey, Tierney, Rowntree, West, Tournaire, M. Johnson, Deacon, Corry, W. Johnson, Balding.

Replacements: Short, Chuter, Garforth, Kay, Ellis, Booth, Vesty.

Tries: Tuilagi 3, Deacon, West, Kafer, Murphy, Vesty.

Cons: Murphy 5.

Pens: Murphy.

Beziers:

Bonetti, Laharague, Aue, Grandclaude, Desjardin, Quesada, Mignoni, Pedesseau, Selua, Bonorino, Ghezal, Nadiradze, Castel, Martinez, Mounier.

Replacements: Swarzewski, Ciore, S. Chobet, Gommard, Nyan, Durand, J. Dubois.

Tries: Nadiradze.

Cons: Quesada.

Pens: Quesada.

Ref: Nigel Williams (Wales).

Att: 15,444