Premiership: Leicester 31-0 Newcastle - Leaders beat Falcons for 11th successive win

2 years ago 37

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Leicester number eight George Martin dived over for the third of the Tigers' first-half tries against Newcastle

Leicester (17) 31
Tries: Kelly, Scott, Martin, Potter Cons: Ford 3, Burns Pens: Ford
Newcastle (0) 0

Premiership leaders Leicester Tigers maintained their unstoppable start to the season with a bonus-point win over Newcastle Falcons.

First-half tries from centres Dan Kelly and Matt Scott, then George Martin's early in the second set up Tigers' 11th successive Premiership win.

But it was not until the very last minute that winger Harry Potter crossed for their bonus-point fourth try.

Freddie Burns kicked the goal to add to George Ford's nine-point haul.

Sale-bound England stand-off Ford landed three conversions and a penalty on his 100th start for the club as Tigers made it to the halfway stage of the season nine points clear of second-placed Saracens - and with their 100% record still intact.

On a rain-sodden pitch in front of a packed 22,000 crowd, accurate kicking from England half-backs Ford and Ben Youngs and Tigers' dominant pack were the key factors.

Ford kicked Tigers into an early lead before the hosts broke Newcastle with two tries in quick succession.

The first for Kelly came from a driving line-out before Ford chipped ahead, Joel Hodgson fumbled and Scotland centre Scott collected the loose ball to score.

Newcastle then remained pinned in their own half before Martin crashed over from close range. And, with the last play of the game, a superb cross-field kick from replacement Burns was collected by Potter, who stepped inside full-back Mike Brown to score and stretch the Tigers' winning streak in all competitions to 16.

Former England international Brown was making his 250th Premiership appearance, becoming only the sixth player in the division's 25-year history to reach that milestone.

Leicester: Steward; Potter, Scott, Kelly, Porter; Ford, Youngs; Genge (capt), Montoya, Cole, Snyman, Wells, Reffell, Martin.

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Murimurivalu, Dolly, Van Poortvliet, Burns, Moroni.

Newcastle: Brown; Carreras, Orlando, Burrell, Radwan; Hodgson, Schreuder; Cooper, Maddison, Davison, Peterson, Robinson, Van der Walt, Welch (capt), Fearns.

Replacements: Smith, Mulipola, Tampin, Chick, Graham, Stuart, Connon, Penny.

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).