Leicester Tigers see off Wasps to maintain winning start

Telusa Veainu dives over to score Leicester's second try against Wasps

Leicester maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a hard-fought 24-16 victory over Wasps at Welford Road.

The Tigers were deserving winners with the lively Vereniki Goneva and replacement Telusa Veainu scoring their tries. Owen Williams completed the scoring with four penalties and a conversion.

For Wasps, Lorenzo Cittadini scored a late try converted by Ruaridh Jackson. Jimmy Gopperth kicked two penalties and Elliot Daly one, with their fruitless afternoon being compounded by the loss of key forwards, Nathan Hughes and Matt Mullan, through injury.

Wasps fly-half Jimmy Gopperth is tackled by Leicester duo Lachlan McCaffrey (left) and Fraser Balmain

Leicester, who handed starts to Tonga No 8 Opeti Fonus and England prop Dan Cole, went ahead after only five minutes.

From a scrum on halfway, some skilful play from Sam Harrison released the three-quarters to produce a flowing move. Goneva burst through a gap taking Tigers into the opposition 22, from where they recycled the ball for the Fijian to brush aside some weak tackling for the opening try.

Saints suffer at Sale

Sharks score 20-13 victory at AJ Bell Stadium

Wasps suffered a further early blow when prop Mullan was led off with an injury but the visitors picked up the next score thanks to a Gopperth penalty.

Williams hit a post with a long-range penalty but was on target with two further attempts to give Leicester a 13-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Leicester centre Vereniki Goneva (right) celebrates his try with Peter Betham

Wasps then came back into the game. First the home side conceded a scrum penalty on half-way with Daly stepping up to kick the goal with ease before Gopperth was successful with a more simple kick.

The visitors looked to have taken the lead when Daly sent Frank Halai away for the touchdown but the TMO ruled no try as result of a previous obstruction, so Wasps trailed 13-9 at the interval.

Chiefs crush Falcons

Exeter run in five first-half tries in landslide win at Kingston Park

Wasps suffered a major setback after the restart when No 8 Hughes left the field with a leg injury, while Leicester also lost Fonua.

Williams extended the home lead with his third penalty before Gopperth was yellow-carded for a head-high challenge on Tigers' full-back Matthew Tait.

Wasps wing Christian Wade breaks clear from Mike Fitzgerald of Leicester

Frustrated by his poor kick ahead, the Wasps fly-half was fortunate that it was not red as he led with a forearm into Tait's face.

Wasps introduced Bradley Davies, Joe Simpson and Ashley Johnson with 20 minutes to go in an attempt to reverse their fortunes but it did not pay dividends as Leicester soon sealed the match with a try from Veanu.

Williams missed the conversion but kicked his fourth penalty before Wasps scored a consolation try from Cittadini with three minutes remaining.