Leicester took revenge for their dropped point against Neath in October by
crushing the Welsh club with a powerful performance at Welford Road.
The Tigers began their Heineken Cup defence with a 16-16 draw at The Knoll in
October, a result which has ultimately denied the English champions a clean
sweep of Pool One victories.
But they made amends on Saturday, ensuring home advantage in the quarter-finals with
a routine dismissal of a Neath side which was outgunned in every department.
Leicester's pack, led by the rampaging Martin Johnson and Adam Balding, laid
the foundations, providing the backs with a stream of possession which they did
not squander.
Geordan Murphy and Jamie Hamilton touched down in the first half while Josh
Kronfeld and Ben Kay added tries after the interval, with winger Tim Stimpson
kicking 16 points to keep his side on top right from the start.
Neath's away record in European competition is woeful - they have won just one
of their 19 games on the road - and today's defeat extinguished their remote
chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup.
They showed some neat touches and winger Shane Williams fully deserved his
try, but save for a brief spell in the second half it was one-way traffic.
It took just over a minute for Leicester to score the first try of the
afternoon with some robust work in the forwards leaving Neath's defence fully
stretched.
The ball was quickly recycled 15 metres out before being spun left by Rod
Kafer to the waiting Murphy who ghosted between two stranded Neath defenders to
complete a superb team try.
Stimpson missed the conversion but made amends with two quickfire penalties
shortly after which gave the Tigers a healthy early lead.
But Neath struck back with a try in the ninth minute following some fine
finishing from Williams, although Murphy should have done better with his
attempted tackle which was easily brushed aside.
Shaun Connor failed to add the extras but a sweetly-struck drop-goal from the
visiting fly-half in the 17th minute made amends as Neath hauled themselves to
within three points of the Tigers.
Despite the narrow scoreline, Leicester were still well on top and their
domination paid off with their second try through substitute Hamilton, who had
come on for injured scrum-half Harry Ellis.
Kafer was prominent as the Tigers worked their way upfield to within five
metres of the Neath line and just as the move looked set to die, Hamilton
dummied at the base of a ruck and scampered over.
Stimpson booted the conversion and then added another penalty as Leicester
turned the screw, building up a 21-8 half-time lead which Neath looked unlikely
to overcome.
A further three points from Stimpson eight minutes after the break increased
the Tigers' advantage, although Connor then slotted a penalty of his own as
Neath entered a promising period.
But the visitors' ascendancy did not last long with Leicester unleashing a
lightning attack which had the Welsh club reeling.
Led by a rampant pack, the Tigers swept deep into their opponents' half and
went desperately close to crossing as a last-ditch effort from Neath's forwards
kept them out.
To make matters worse, England flanker Lewis Moody and former All Black
openside Josh Kronfeld arrived off the substitutes' bench in the 69th minute and
they made an instant impact as Kronfeld himself barged his way over.
Stimpson improved the try and by now the floodgates were open, with Moody's
England colleague Ben Kay claiming a late try to complete the rout.
Teams:
Leicester: Murphy, Booth, Lloyd, Kafer, Stimpson, Vesty,
Ellis,
Jelley, West, Tournaire, M. Johnson, Kay, W. Johnson, Back,
Balding.
Replacements: Chuter, Deacon, Garforth, Moody, J. Hamilton,
Gelderbloom, Kronfeld.
Tries: Murphy, J. Hamilton, Kronfeld, Kay.
Cons: Stimpson 2.
Pens: Stimpson 4.
Neath: Durston, G. Morris, Storey, Tiueti, S. Williams,
S. Connor, Horgan, D. Jones, B. Williams, A. Jones, A. Newman,
G. Llewellyn, Sinkinson, Tandy, R. Phillips.
Replacements: A. Bateman, Jarvis, Mathews, Martin, P. James,
Mocelutu, Millward.
Tries: S. Williams.
Pens: S. Connor.
Drop Goals: S. Connor.
Att: 16,845
Ref: Alain Rolland (Ireland).
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