RAMPANT, rampaging and rambunctious, Leicester Tigers ravaged Newcastle Falcons without issue, but with definite relish at Welford Road. If this Tigers’ victory was routine, it still had something of the remarkable about it, especially from a Newcastle standpoint. Jonny Wilkinson kicked his 2000th Falcons point, Newcastle surrendered their four-match winning streak – and Russell Winter missed a tackle. An unusual trio of events – be assured of it, and it was Winter’s inability to run down Martin Corry when covering round the corner that set a tone that never changed. The fact Winter’s hamstring pinged in that act was about par for a very tough course as far as Newcastle were concerned. Corry lumbered home, and after that, it was basically one-way traffic, apart from a few spates of sevens-inspired desperation stakes rugby. The impressive Jordan Crane added a second, before Johne Murphy and Marcos Ayerza wrapped up the bonus point. Toby Flood notched a neat score, but it was nowhere near enough to challenge the might of Marcelo Loffreda’s men. Andy Goode smashed 21 points with the boot, and smashed Jonny Wilkinson into the bargain to sum up what was a drab day to be a Newcastle Falcon. Goode received 10 minutes in the sin-bin for his ludicrously high tackle, but it was Jamie Noon who came off worst from the ensuing scuffle, laid out as tempers flared all round. Wilkinson, Noon, Toby Flood and Mark Sorenson were among those to acquit themselves well, but the unfortunate Mathew Tait was the man whose performance stood out most. Like the incessant throbbing of a sore thumb, Tait’s every move was littered with the pulse of a man having a stinker, simple as that. Hardly able to put a foot right, it was just not his day, and just like every other Falcon, it will be one he attempts to forget in a hurry. Leicester were also in a hurry – a hurry to get everywhere, and right from the off too. Onlooking John Wells probably did not need any reminders of what England are missing now Corry is no longer donning the Red Rose, but he got one straight away. A Wilkinson penalty reduced the arrears, but Leicester were in no mood to let their dominance waver. Heading straight down the other end of the pitch, Jordan Crane benefited from the two-on-one, and Tait’s indecision, to saunter home. Tait backed off, unsure whether to hit Crane or force a mistake with Tom Varndell loitering outside, and Crane had an easy task as a result. Leicester’s verve and tempo were just too much for Newcastle to bear, and as John Fletcher predicted in the week, it was the home side’s intensity that roasted the Falcons red raw. Carl Hayman led a strong Falcons scrum, but any dominance was far too fleeting, and only Toby Flood’s great try early in the second half offered a source of solace. Wilkinson cut the line to feed Flood, who grubbered through and Brent Wilson and Noon turned the ball over on the Leicester line. James Grindal fed prop Jon Golding on the short side, who shipped on for Flood to finish a move full of finesse. But all that try did was wake Leicester up. Slumber over, first Johne Murphy made the extra man, then Ayerza drove in. The last quarter contained the sin-bin and a lot of Falcons fluster, but nothing more of note. A game to forget if you wear black for your club and white for your country: especially where the selectors are concerned. | 
