Double European champions Leicester recorded a comfortable victory against
Gwent Dragons as they got their Heineken Cup campaign up and running at Welford
Road.
The Tigers, Heineken Cup winners in 2001 and 2002, were not seriously
threatened in front of a 15,000 home crowd.
Tries from wings Ollie Smith (2) and Neil Baxter, plus a Leon Lloyd
interception score, put distance between the teams, while Italian fly-half
Ramiro Pez converted all four touchdowns and booted two penalties for a 14-point
haul.
Leicester fielded seven England internationals in their pack, including World
Cup captain Martin Johnson prior to tonight's BBC Sports Personality of the Year
programme in London.
But while Johnson and company were on top for long periods, and the Dragons
only managed one Percy Montgomery penalty, the visitors defended admirably.
Given the amount of ball Leicester had, they should have enjoyed an even more
emphatic winning margin.
But Smith's second touchdown - and Leicester's fourth - five minutes from
time, at least secured a winning bonus point.
With just one point currently separating all four teams in Pool One, then it
could ultimately prove vital when the quarter-final line-up takes shape next
month.
Leicester suffered a blow before the game when their England flanker Lewis
Moody withdrew because of a foot injury, so Martin Corry switched to blindside
flanker and Adam Balding started at number eight.
The Tigers, desperate for victory following their defeat against Stade
Francais in Paris last weekend, made a dream start, and were ahead inside four
minutes.
Pez's wayward kick drifted infield, but Dragons wing Ben Breeze dropped the
ball and former Salford Reds rugby league player Baxter followed up to score.
Pez converted, and then slotted two penalties as Leicester built up a 13-0
advantage inside the opening quarter, dominating territory and possession.
The Dragons' cause was not helped when French referee Joel Dume sin-binned
centre Hal Luscombe for a technical offence, and a damage-limitation exercise
loomed as Tigers took complete control.
Leicester were guilty of over-complicating several midfield handling moves,
but debutant Jaco van der Westhuyzen was a threat each time he handled the
ball.
South Africa's World Cup full-back ran menacingly from deep, and with a little
more luck, he could have breached the Dragons' defence.
The visitors put together their best spell of attacking rugby just before
half-time, but it all ended in despairing fashion.
The Dragons had a one-man overlap, yet full-back Sione Tuipulotu's intended
pass to hooker Paul Young, found Tigers centre Lloyd instead, and he sprinted 90
metres for a sucker-punch try, again converted by Pez.
Leicester lost hooker Dorian West through injury as the interval approached,
but it could not disrupt their flow, and the Dragons faced a mammoth second-half
task, trailing 20-0.
Any hope the Dragons had of staging a meaningful fightback, disappeared within
five minutes of the restart.
Pez ghosted into space near the Dragons' line, and although he was hauled
down, the visitors could do nothing to stop Smith on his arcing run to the line.
Pez converted, and it was game, set and match.
Montgomery slotted a 48-metre penalty two minutes later - a surprising
tactical choice, given that he went for touch twice from closer range before the
break - yet it remained a finger-in-the-dam exercise.
Smith went close to a second try on 58 minutes, but the Dragons proved
determined defenders and kept Leicester out as Tigers chased a bonus point.
Smith's class told on 75 minutes, when he weaved his way through from 25
metres, and Pez's successful conversion completed the scoring.
Teams:
Leicester: van der Westhuyzen, Baxter, Lloyd, Gibson, Smith,
Pez, Healey, Rowntree, West, White, M. Johnson, Kay, Corry,
Back, Balding.
Replacements: F. Tuilagi for Gibson (72), Vesty for Pez (78),
prein for Healey (75), Morris for Rowntree (75),
L. Deacon for M. Johnson (76).
Not Used: Richards, W. Skinner.
Tries: Baxter, Lloyd, Smith 2.
Cons: Pez 4.
Pens: Pez 2.
Gwent Dragons: Tuipuluto, Asara, Luscombe, Marinos, Breeze,
Baber, Snow, Young, Anthony, Gough, Sidoli, Ringer, Forster,
Beattie, Crawford.
Replacements: Black for Snow (52), Oakley for Ringer (70).
Not Used: Owen, R. Jones, Winn, Warlow.
Sin Bin: Luscombe (25).
Pens: Sidoli.
Att: 15,093
Ref: Joel Dume (France).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook