Tigers ease past Quins

Leicester ensured themselves a home semi-final in the Guinness Premiership play-offs with a convincing 40-22 victory over Harlequins at Welford Road.

After a complacent first half saw them slip 17-16 behind, Tigers came back to dominate, leaving Quins fortunate to escape with the final score-line.

Fly-half Toby Flood was the Leicester hero with a 20-point haul, with Matt Smith and Ben Youngs also crossing the whitewash

The hosts were in front within just three minutes when Quins scrum-half Danny Care had a pass neatly intercepted by Flood, who crossed over.

Outside-half Flood added the extras as well as a 30-metre penalty minutes later to signal a dismal start for Quins.

Tentative

Tigers were then penalised at two scrums in their own half which allowed the visitors a platform in the Leicester 22.

Care compensated for his earlier mistake by breaking and kicking ahead to win the race to the line against a strangely tentative home defence, while Rory Clegg converted to cut the deficit to 10-7 after 10 minutes.

Flood missed a penalty chance 15 minutes in when he sent a lengthy effort wide, but Tigers kept the heat on the visitors when the fly-half landed a successful three-pointer eight minutes later.

Quins struggled to keep out Leicester's attack and gave away frequent penalties, with Flood adding another before the end of the first half.

But Tigers were stunned when, in a complete turn of events, Quins unleashed a 10-point scoring surge to secure a surprise 17-16 lead at the break.

David Strettle and Care got things underway when they sent George Lowe in for a try, which Clegg converted, before Lowe set Clegg up for a tidy drop-goal.

Leicester came back with a point to prove in the second half, with both wings coming close to a try just after the restart while Quins flanker Chris Robshaw was sent to the sin-bin.

Lead

Flood kicked the resulting penalty then converted another try minutes later after centre Smith touched down from a Johne Murphy run.

Quins were evidently feeling Robshaw's absence as Leicester pulled away with a Youngs try, with Flood adding the extras to give the hosts a 33-17 lead after 50 minutes.

The visitors then struggled to break out of their half even on Robshaw's return, and their continued indiscipline meant Tigers were eventually handed a penalty try to secure their bonus point, while Flood converted to complete an individual 20-point tally.

Quins gained some consolation at the death as replacement hooker Joe Marler picked up a late try, but it was too little too late as they left Welford Road empty handed.