Aviva Premiership: Leicester Tigers 47-20 London Irish
Last Updated: 29/02/16 2:30pm
Leicester bounced back from three successive defeats by thrashing Aviva Premiership strugglers London Irish 47-20 at Welford Road.
The Tigers got back on track for the top four with a seven-try demolition of the bottom club, who scored three second-half tries in response.
The win meant Leicester avoided the feat of four straight defeats for the first time since the World Cup season of 2003-04, a run of form that saw former boss Dean Richards sacked.
Leicester put in a dominant performance in front of their home fans scoring tries through Adam Thompstone (two), Harry Thacker, Lachlan McCaffrey, Jono Kitto, Tom Croft and debutant Jean de Villiers. Freddie Burns kicked five conversions and Tommy Bell one.
London Irish, who have yet to earn a point away from home, replied through scores from David Paice, Joe Trayfoot and Andrew Fenby. Theo Brophy Clews kicked a penalty and Shane Geraghty a conversion.
South Africa's World Cup-winning centre De Villiers made his Leicester debut alongside England's Manu Tuilagi in midfield while scrum-half Kitto made his first start for the Tigers
Tigers suffered a blow before kick off when England hooker Tom Youngs was forced to withdraw, his place going to Harry Thacker.
Scotland internationals Sean Maitland and Blair Cowan were the only changes to the London Irish line-up that lost at the hands of Exeter Chiefs.
Leicester boss Richard Cockerill called for his side to show 'character across the board' after three successive defeats and the Tigers responded with a convincing first-half performance, which earned them a bonus point, and a 26-3 lead.
The hosts set the tone and asserted their dominance from the start when they turned down an easy penalty in favour of going for a try from a line-out and drive.
After three line-out attempts they scored their first try, full-back Mathew Tait putting Thompstone over in the right corner after a simple backs move. Burns missed the conversion, but it was the only of the six he had in the match.
Irish fly-half Brophy Clews pulled back three points with a penalty but seven minutes later Thacker stormed under the posts for Leicester's second try after a clever move.
Leicester's third try came in the 31st minute after Tuilagi and Kitto had caused havoc in the Irish defence.
From a line-out Kitto threw out a long pass to McCaffrey who shrugged off a tackle from Brophy Clews to go under the posts.
In the dying moment of the half Tigers secured the bonus point, Burns making a break before finding lock Mike Fitzgerald who put Kitto over.
Leicester scored their fifth try 12 minutes after the restart and again it came from a line-out. The forwards drove the ball on and after some slick handling by the backs De Villiers found flanker Tom Croft on the charge with a fantastic one-handed inside pass making the score 33-3.
The Irish finally broke Leicester's defence in the 58th minute after a 50-metre counter attack from Scottish international Maitland and they made the most of the field position with hooker Paice scoring from short range.
A De Villiers solo try, awarded after the referee had watched another replay, and a Burns conversion in the 67th minute put Leicester 40-8 ahead before Thompstone crossed for the Tigers' seventh score 10 minutes from time.
Despite being out of the game, Irish finished with a flourish and scored two late tries through replacement Trayfoot and Fenby, who went over straight from a scrum in stoppage time.
