Tigers tear apart Blues

Leicester got their EDF Energy Cup defence back on track as a second-half onslaught saw them defeat Cardiff Blues 48-20.

With their World Cup stars back in action, the Tigers looked out-of-sorts in the opening 40 minutes, relying on the boot of Andy Goode to give them a 9-6 lead.

However, they tore into their Magners League opponents after the break, notching five tries to claim a bonus point that puts them on course to qualify for the next round.

Cardiff crossed twice through Xavier Rush and Ben Blair, who added both conversions and was also on target with two penalties.

Dominance

It had been nine years since a Welsh team triumphed at Welford Road, but the early signs looked promising that the Blues could break the barren run.

They were much the better side in the first half, spending long periods camped in their opponents' half but just unable to find a way through to the line.

Instead they had to rely on Blair's boot to score points, though his two efforts were cancelled out by a pair of penalties from Goode.

The turning point in the contest came a minute before the break when visiting hooker Gareth Williams was sent to the sin bin for hands in at the ruck.

His infringement led to an easy penalty that put the hosts ahead at the interval but more importantly led to a 15-point swing while the Blues were down to 14.

Winger Tom Varndell got on the end of Goode's clever chip over the top to grab the first try of the afternoon, albeit after a lengthy consultation with the television match official.

Clinical touch

Murphy's first came in the same right corner also from a neat kick as Leicester showed the clinical touch Cardiff had so badly lacked before the break.

Rush's close range finish briefly threatened a comeback but the game was over as a contest when Dan Hipkiss burst through a static defensive line to run in under the posts.

Paul Burke - on for the injured Goode - put over the simple conversion and also added the extras after the Tigers had been awarded a penalty try for a scrum offence.

Blair executed a run-around move to perfection out wide to grab a consolation for Cardiff, who can at least still qualify from a tight pool that also includes Sale and Bath.

For Leicester the win is a timely one ahead of the arrival of new coach Marcelo Loffreda, who will start his time at the helm with a tough Heineken Cup opener away at Leinster next weekend.