Leicester proved they are on the march by inflicting one of Newcastle's
biggest home defeats in Saturday's Zurich Premiership match at Kingston Park.
The Tigers' superior scrummaging laid the platform, and their all-round
excellence tore the Falcons apart in the second half.
It was 17-10 shortly after half-time. But Newcastle made three costly
mistakes, and Fijian centre Seru Rabeni scored two of Leicester's four
second-half tries.
Both teams had to make late changes.
Austin Healey was missing for Leicester with a hamstring injury - so Geordan
Murphy moved to the wings with Sam Vesty at full back.
But Newcastle were hardest hit.
Already without two inside-centres, they had selected Australian Matt Burke
there - but he had to pull out with a shoulder problem.
Epi Taione wore number 12, but the positions Newcastle took up in attack bore
little resemblance to the numbers on their backs - with Jonny Wilkinson often at
inside-centre.
After home number eight Semo Sititi fumbled the kick-off, Leicester applied
immediate pressure and went ahead in the second minute.
They twice re-cycled the ball before 19-year-old fly-half Rosaro Broadfoot put
in a delightful diagonal chip for Murphy to touch down. The left-footed
Broadfoot converted from the right touchline.
The Falcons hit back by driving a maul 15 metres to the line. But their
pressure came to nothing, because Wilkinson missed a penalty on the left.
Broadfoot was also just wide before Newcastle levelled after 19 minutes. After
two rucks up the right, Taione made a half-break before offloading to Wilkinson
who caught the ball by his shins and flipped it behind his back for winger
Michael Stevenson to evade two tackles on his way to the posts.
Wilkinson converted. But a Broadfoot penalty put Leicester back in front, and
then after 33 minutes Colin Charvis and Martin Corry were sin-binned for
exchanging blows.
The penalty went to Leicester who opted for a scrum five metres out, which
they had all but driven to the line when referee Roy Maybank awarded a penalty
try.
A Wilkinson penalty four minutes after the break threatened to get the Falcons
back into it - but 15 minutes later they were 32-10 down.
First, Murphy kicked a penalty - and then a poor clearance by Dave Walder was
run back by Corry who sent Rabeni over.
Then a huge clearance from a penalty on their own 22 allowed Leicester to set
up a line-out drive from which Neil Back scored.
Newcastle sent on Mathew Tait for Walder - and with his second touch he took a
long pass from Tom May and sped 20 metres into the left corner.
Wilkinson missed the conversion - and the Tigers completed the rout when Corry
drove over off the back of a scrum and then Rabeni crashed over in the left
corner.
Teams:
Newcastle: Walder, May, Noon, Taione, Stephenson, J. Wilkinson,
Charlton, Peel, Long, Hurter, Gross, McCarthy, Charvis,
Williamson, Sititi.
Replacements: Tait for Walder (65), Grindal for Charlton (56),
Ward for Peel (40), Isaacson for Hurter (76),
Grimes for McCarthy (56), Parling for Sititi (78).
Not Used: Flood.
Sin Bin: Charvis (34).
Tries: Stephenson, Tait.
Cons: J. Wilkinson.
Pens: J. Wilkinson.
Leicester: Vesty, Murphy, Rabeni, Smith, Holtby, Broadfoot,
Ellis, Rowntree, Chuter, White, M. Johnson, L. Deacon,
B. Deacon, Back, Corry.
Replacements: Cornwell for Broadfoot (40),
Morris for Rowntree (64), Kay for M. Johnson (56),
W. Johnson for B. Deacon (75).
Not Used: Buckland, Bemand, A. Tuilagi.
Sin Bin: Corry (34).
Tries: Murphy, Penalty, Rabeni 2, Back, Corry.
Cons: Broadfoot 2, Murphy 2.
Pens: Broadfoot, Murphy.
Att: 8,609
Ref: Roy Maybank (Kent).
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