Worcester blew their chance to embarrass one of the top-flight sides they hope
to join next season when they were overpowered by Leicester in the Powergen Cup
at Welford Road.
Worcester trailed only 12-9 at half-time, with their hosts reduced to 14 men
following a yellow card for Will Johnson.
But they failed to take the chances created by Scotland star Ben Hinshelwood
in midfield, and Leicester turned on the power in the second half to emphasise
the gulf between the top two divisions.
Leicester boss Dean Richards left out seven of the side which thumped Beziers
in the Heineken Cup the previous week.
The visitors, though, might have been in front but for a glaring missed
opportunity and a creaky line-out which was under pressure from the start.
Wing Chris Garrard's fumble allowed Leon Lloyd to hack on from the 22,
re-gather and score Leicester's first try after nine minutes - and their second
was a familiar close-range catch-and-drive effort which ended with George Chuter
burrowing over.
In between Worcester's Australian fly-half Tim Walsh stroked over two
penalties - the first when a retreating Martin Corry interfered with play and
was lucky to escape a spell in the bin.
Nnamdi Ezulike blew Worcester's best chance of the game when he chose to weave
inside towards the posts rather than out into the corner after Hinshelwood
fashioned the opening.
Hinshelwood also created the space for Garrard to streak towards the left-hand
corner in first-half injury time. But he was hauled down a metre short, with
Leicester's Will Johnson yellow-carded for killing the ball before Walsh kicked
his third penalty.
Worcester's one-man advantage lasted all of three minutes before replacement
flanker Neil Mason was sin-binned, with Kent official Roy Maybank indicating
careless use of the boot at a ruck.
Worcester's resistance ebbed away after Peter Short was driven over at another
lineout.
Richards was able to send on England captain Martin Johnson, and his arrival
was followed by wing Ollie Smith scorching in down the left for another
converted try which opened up a 20-point lead.
Flanker Adam Balding barged over 20 minutes from time for another
seven-pointer, and Worcester could not add to their tally despite a spirited
late flurry directed by former Scotland and Lions fly-half Craig Chalmers.
Teams:
Leicester: Booth, Smith, Lloyd, Gelderbloom, Tuilagi, Vesty,
J. Hamilton, Chuter, Garforth, Short, Deacon, Tournaire, Corry,
Balding, W. Johnson.
Replacements: Nebbett, Abraham, M. Johnson, West, Tierney, Holtby,
Kafer.
Tries: Lloyd, Chuter, Short, Smith, Balding.
Cons: Vesty 4.
Pens: Vesty.
Worcester: Southwell, Ezulike, Hinshelwood, Ogilvie-Bull,
Garrard, Walsh, Swanepoel, Windo, Hall, Olver, Zaltzman,
Morgan, Bates, Nias, Jenner.
Replacements: O'Reilly, Chalmers, Richardson, Pearl, Psister,
G. Mason, Lyman.
Pens: Walsh 3.
Att: 6,427
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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