Munster had eased the pressure on Leicester in Pool Four of the Champions Cup as their home win against Stade Francais meant a win today would see the Midlands giants earn a home quarter-final. Tigers’ opponents, Benetton Treviso, would be looking to get their first points in the competition in this fixture, settling for a losing bonus point at least.
Former Leicester number eight Robert Barbieri returned to Welford Road to face a home side that welcomed back man-mountain Manu Tuilagi, Jordan Crane and Logovi’i Mulipola to the starting line up. With the temperature below freezing, how much upset could the travelling Italian side cause?
Adam Thompstone collected the kick-off and Treviso immediately gave advantage by being offside. Taking the ball into the Italian’s half, Tom Youngs displayed skills that were more than worthy of an England squad inclusion. Power and pace from Leicester’s back line allowed Mike Fitzgerald to thunder over for the first try of the game. It was celebrated with rapturous applause from the home crowd. Burns then kicked the conversion and took it to 7-0 within the first three minutes. From the restart, Tigers conceded a penalty and, deciding to go for the posts, a ambitious Ambrosini kick failed to make the distance.
The home side, currently top of Pool Four, dominated scrum after scrum in Treviso’s half, making up ground and stamping their authority on the game. Continuous efforts by Tait, Tuilagi and Goneva in particular persuaded the rest of the backline to follow suit, gaining more metres and producing moments of excitement. It was the forwards, however, who took the credit for the next phase of play, where a powerful rolling maul drove the pack over the line. Referee Ben Whitehouse sent the decision to TMO after being unsure of the grounding, and a resulting ‘no’ left Leicester’s forwards with a five metre scrum and opporunity to show their worth again. A penalty try was awarded and Burns kicked an easy conversion from in front of the sticks, taking the score to 14-0.
Ref Whitehouse wanted in on the action as he caught a Tuilagi pass and received a hug tackle from Mathew Tait, much to the amusement of supporters, coaches and players. Richard Cockerill’s side maintained the pressure through slick passes down the line and fast footwork which downgraded Treviso’s efforts. Burns sent the ball over the top and behind the Italian side’s defenders for Vereniki Goneva to collect and touch down. Half an hour in and Tigers had scored their third, with fly-half Burns keeping his 100% kicking record with another successful conversion to make it 21-0. Minutes later and a blip in concentration from the Leicester defence allowed Andrea Pratichetti to saunter through and go under the posts for Treviso’s first try of the match. A simple conversion for Ambrosini took the score to 21-7 with five minutes of the half left.
Ben Youngs startled his opposition with an exhilarating run towards the posts that gave hope to cold supporters around the stands. A penalty left Tigers in the driving seat in Treviso’s territory again, and a Logovi’i Mulipola smash and run nearly resulted in a try. However Youngs swung it swiftly out to Thompstone who darted between defenders got over for Leicester’s fourth try. With a bonus point in the bag before the end of the first half, Treviso went to the changing rooms looking less than challenging.
Tigers came out all guns blazing; a number of charges into Treviso’s end of the pitch heightened the intensity, before Ben Youngs stormed a 60 metres down the right wing. After slipping through a tackle and debating an offload to Thompstone, Youngs slid over the line for Leicester’s fifth of the night, taking the score to 33-7. Burns’ conversion skimmed the outside of the posts, giving the 25 year old his first miss this game.
Tuilagi (rumoured to have treated himself to a feast of chicken drumsticks over the summer to come back 17kg heavier) shook off Treviso forwards to gain vital ground for his side, whilst the forwards controlled the breakdown with ease. Making progression quickly, Burns’ grubber kicked the ball and, on collection, placed down over the line to take the score to 38-7. It was an impressive display of skill and composure, and he added a further two points to his tally to make it 40-7.
Questions were asked as to who received the biggest applause when substituted, with both Youngs brothers, Tuilagi and Mulipola all being the target of loud cheers and admiration by fans as they took to the bench in front of the Holland and Barrett stand. Treviso began to tire as the snow fell onto a torn up Welford Road pitch, made more obvious at the set pieces where the Italian forwards lacked the strength to contend with that of Leicester’s. Fifteen minutes to go and a rolling maul from the ten metre line took the men in green and white closer to a seventh try. Two successive scrums, fifteen and five metres out respectively, took everything that was left out of the visitors. Sebastian De Chaves stole numerous Treviso line outs whilst Tait and Croft (yes, a flanker) showed footwork skills that ran rings around their counterparts. After forceful driving from a confident front row, Laurence Pearce bundled over the line to extend their lead a further five points, and whilst pitch invaders drew attention away from the following conversion, Tommy Bell’s reliable boot took the score to 47-7.
The dying minutes were nowhere near as tense as last week’s Premiership derby against Northampton Saints, but as the final whistle blew, the 19,000 plus spectators applauded both teams in what was a wintery whitewash for Treviso. Five points earned means Leicester have secured themselves a home quarter final, whilst Treviso will seek points in their next match versus Munster.
Final score: Leicester Tigers 47 Benetton Treviso 7.
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