Moro helps Leicester to bonus-point win at Newcastle

The Prem, Kingston Park

Newcastle Red Bulls (10) 17

Tries: Grayson, Palframan Cons: Connon 2 Pen: Connon

Leicester Tigers (17) 39

Tries: Thompson, Moro 2, Steward, Reffell Cons: Searle 3, Bailey Pens: Searle (2)

Joaquin Moro scored two tries as Leicester Tigers returned to Prem action with a bonus-point victory at winless Newcastle Red Bulls.

Flanker James Thompson scored the visitors' first try at Kingston Park before Moro, Tigers' Argentinian number eight, spotted space at the breakdown to run in from 30 metres.

England full-back Freddie Steward added a third try after the break before Moro burst through the defence again from distance to seal the extra point.

There was time for Tommy Reffell to add a fifth score for the visitors.

Newcastle, who notched tries through full-back Ethan Grayson and replacement Richard Palframan, remain without a single point in their six league games.

Tigers' fourth win of the season took them fourth in the table ahead of fifth-placed Saracens' game against Bath on Sunday, but for 55 minutes they were kept within striking distance.

Billy Searle's penalty put Leicester on the board before Adam Radwan darted up the right wing, Tigers drove almost to the line and Thompson dived over for his maiden Prem try.

Hassell-Collins was then sin-binned for a high tackle on Grayson and Newcastle took advantage to score their first points as a scrum penalty gave them field position, they carried tight towards the line and space opened up for fly-half Brett Connon to float a pass into space for Grayson to stroll in.

But Radwan claimed the restart and Newcastle did not defend the next breakdown, allowing Moro to march to the line.

Connon then kicked a penalty to trim the lead to 17-10 at the break.

The second half was played between the 22s before Tigers extended their lead with a third try from their first meaningful attack.

With penalty advantage, Searle sent a cross-kick into the hands of Hassell-Collins who sprinted to the 22, Tigers spread the play to the opposite wing where a striking burst of pace from Radwan almost made it to the line and they recycled to give Steward a walk-in under the posts.

Newcastle had a chance to get back in the game with a superb penalty from Connon to seven metres out, only for his forwards to concede a lazy penalty at the line-out for obstruction.

Tigers then made sure of victory with a bonus-point try eight minutes from time.

James O'Connor came off the bench to return a deep kick right to the defensive line and timed his offload perfectly to send Hassell-Collins up the left wing before Moro arrived from distance with a piercing line to take a pass and run in from 30 metres.

Newcastle belatedly scored their second try when replacement scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz offloaded from the floor for Palframan to dive over but Tigers had the final say as a rolling more drove Reffell over with the last play of the game.

Newcastle: Grayson, Williams, Hearle, Clark, Spencer, Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, McGuigan (c), McCallum, Usher, Hodgson, Lockwood, Christie, Mafi

Replacements: Fletcher, Rewcastle, Palframan, de Chaves, Neild, Benítez Cruz, Chamberlain, Gordon

Leicester: Steward, Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins, Searle, Whiteley; Smith, Blamire, Heyes, Henderson, Thompson, Liebenberg (c), Reffell, Moro

Replacements: Clare, van der Flier, Loman, Wells, Manz, Allan, O'Connor, Woodward

Yellow Card: Hassell-Collins

Referee: Sara Cox