Leicester Tigers put a smile back on the face of their skipper Martin Corry as they gave their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup a huge boost with a near perfect wet weather performance at a sodden Stade Pierre Rajon.

After the problems of leading under fire England during the November internationals, Corry was back to his dynamic best as he inspired the Tigers’ pack to a near faultless first half performance that saw his team score three tries and build a 28-3 lead.

Having lost their opening game to a last gasp penalty against Munster at Welford Road, the Tigers needed to keep on winning to give themselves a chance of upsetting Munster in Limerick in Round 6. The only glitch in the performance was the fact the Tigers weren’t able to build on their brilliant showing in the opening 40 minutes and pick up a priceless bonus point.

Bourgoin, who have now lost three in a row in this campaign and are facing a seventh season of non-qualification for the knock-out stages, were all at sea in that opening period and hardly got their hands on the ball as Corry and his pack took complete control.

While the Tigers forwards tore into their opposite numbers, England outside half Andy Goode dictated matters superbly behind as he paved the way for two of the three tries and kicked 13 points.

The Tigers No 10 gave his side the perfect start with a second minute penalty before his outside break on the right wing cleared the way for Geordan Murphy to wing in for the first try of the night after 16 minutes. Goode couldn’t find the posts with his wide angled conversion and his opposite number Benjamin Boyet did when he had his first kick at goal.

But the game turned when Irish referee Donal Courtney sent Bourgoin back row Mark Rennie to the sin-bin after 27 minutes for slowing the ball down at the breakdown. Before he returned Goode helped himself to two more penalties and then sent Tom Varndell over in the left corner with a long, cut out pass.

The touchline conversion from Goode extended the lead to 18 points, but there was better to come from the last move of the half. Harry Ellis dummied his way into the clear on the home 22 and he ran up to the full back before passing inside to Corry who slid in for a try which Goode converted.

Bourgoin were almost out for the count and it seemed a formality for the Tigers to go on and get the bonus point with a fourth try. It didn’t happen, though, and instead the home side regained some credibility with two tries.

It didn’t help the Leicester cause that they lost three players to the sin bin in the 71st, 76th and 85 minutes. Corry was the first to go and Louis Deacon and Goode followed him.

Twice the visitors were down to 13 men and Bourgoin capitalised with tries from replacement hooker Benoit Cabello and a last gasp effort from wing Jean-Francois Coux.

Despite not scoring in the second half, Leicester are still in the hunt for a quarter-final slot, although that missed bonus point could prove costly in the end.