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Vainqueurs avec bonus en ouverture face au Stade Français
Matt Smith knows better than to take anything for granted from a trip to Stadio Comunale di Monigo to face Benetton Treviso in the Champions Cup.
Two seasons ago he was in a Tigers side that trailed 13-8 at half-time and had to pull out all the stops to eventually come through 34-19. The season before that his try helped to keep the Italians at bay as they mounted a second half charge at Welford Road before going down 33-25.
But the biggest shock was in the opening round of the 2010/11 campaign. Treviso led 29-27 going into the final minutes before Alesana Tuilagi broke home hearts when he struck with a late try to secure a 34-29 triumph. Smith also scored in that game.
“We have played Treviso a lot in Europe. A few years ago it took Alesana Tuilagi to score in the final minute to get a victory over there,” recalled Smith, who celebrated his 30th birthday last week.
“They are a passionate bunch so it will be tough. We have a few Italians in our squad and they will be looking forward to going over there.
“It's the Champions Cup and we knew we would have to lift our game against Stade Francais in round one. We’e targeted nine points from these first two games so we know we have go to Treviso and go again or the win over Stade will count for nothing.”
Treviso are still looking for their first win of the season after falling to a 32-7 opening round defeat against Munster at Thomond Park. They only trailed 10-7 at the interval and forced the home side to wait until the 75th minute before finally picking up the try bonus point.
In four of their seven defeats in the Guinness PRO12 the Italians have picked up a losing bonus point and two of their three defeat at home this season have been by the narrowest of margins – three points each to Edinburgh Rugby and Ospreys.
Having picked up a full-house of points against the French champions in the opening round at Welford Road, Tigers could find themselves ahead of their target if they can reproduce their free-flowing game in Treviso. They scored four tries and impressed everyone with the width and ambition they introduced to their play.
Owen Williams, back to full fitness after knee surgery, controlled the game well and new boy Brendon O’Connor enjoyed a sensational debut. Last weekend he was involved in a back row battle against Sergio Parisse and this weekend the Kiwi will clash with another world class player in Alessandro Zanni.
If O’Connor, who scored one try and made another, thrives again, and the Tigers get another five points, then they will be in great heart before meeting Munster in their back-to-back game next month.
Match Facts
- Leicester Tigers have won all eight matches against Benetton Treviso in the Champions Cup.
- Leicester Tigers have averaged 40 points scored per game against Benetton Treviso, twice recording 60 or more in their eight encounters.
- Benetton Treviso haven’t beaten an English side since December 2004, losing all 21 games against opponents from England since then.
- Leicester Tigers have won all 20 matches against Italian opponents in the Champions Cup.
Journée 2 de l'European Rugby Champions Cup
Leicester Tigers took control of their European Rugby Champions Cup pool with a bonus-point win at Benetton Treviso.
Telusa Veainu scored twice, Peter Betham and Greg Bateman followed while Tigers also claimed a first-half penalty try.
The victory rubber-stamped Leicester’s place at the top of Pool 4 with maximum points from their opening two games, while Stade-Francais’ game against Munster was postponed.
For Treviso, this marked a 16th consecutive loss in the Champions Cup and disappointment at only managing a solitary kick from James Ambrosini in front of their home fans.
The Italians came close to beating Leicester at Stadio Monigo three years ago and made a bright start again despite the loss of key players.
However they failed to register early points when James Ambrosini missed a drop goal effort and Tommaso Iannone went close in the corner after strong work by Francesco Minto.
Bell kicked a seventh minute penalty when Minto was penalised at the breakdown.
But it was Leicester’s strength in the scrum that created the game’s first try. Prop Matteo Zanusso was binned in the 18th minute for collapsing the set-piece and French referee Mathieu Raynal awarded a penalty try following from the next scrum.
Bell converted but Leicester failed to add further punishment on the scoreboard against 14 men. But two tries in the five minutes before half-time helped the Tigers take control of the tie.
Tom Croft, who had recovered from a back spasm, set up Brendon O’Connor. Dom Barrow followed before Bell slid through a kick for Veainu to score on 36 minutes.
O’Connor was penalised from the re-start to allow Ambrosini to kick Treviso’s first points.
However Treviso failed to gather the kick-off, Matthew Tait capitalised and Dom Barrow made yards before Veainu floated his pass for wing Betham to beat two men and score on the stroke of half-time. Bell landed his second conversion for a 22-3 lead at the break.
Treviso were reduced to 14 men for a second time in the game when lock Jean-Francis Montauriol was shown a yellow card in the 50th minute for barging Sam Harrison off the ball after Bell chipped ahead.
Leicester kicked the penalty to the corner and thought they had the bonus point but Veainu was ruled to have lost control of the ball over the line.
Treviso steadied the ship and Italy scrum-half Eduardo Gori caused Leicester problems to frustrate the visitors.
Veainu finally clinched the all-important fourth try on 67 minutes when he stepped through three defenders to cross between the posts.
Replacement hooker Bateman then followed in the last minute, shrugging off tackles to score Leicester’s fifth try.
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