Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons LIVE - Gallagher Premiership action as eighth plays tenth at Mattioli Woods Welford Road

In 2023-24, TNT Sports will bring you every match from the Investec Champions Cup, as well as a selection of matches from the Gallagher Premiership Rugby, EPCR Challenge Cup and Premiership Rugby Cup.

Leicester Tigers condemned Newcastle Falcons to an eighth consecutive Gallagher Premiership defeat as the hosts recorded a 47-3 bonus point victory.

Two tries from Tommy Refell, and two more from Matt Scott had the Tigers cruising to a fourth win of the season before the break, before Reffell claimed his hat-trick on 53 minutes.

Falcons were the first on the scoreboard as Brett Connon’s 12th minute penalty had them ahead, but it was an impressive response from Geordan Murphy’s Tigers, who needed just three minutes to register their first points of the match.

Ollie Chessum gathered a lineout in the right corner well, with the ensuing maul eventually shoving over Reffell for his first of the afternoon, with World Cup-winning Handre Pollard adding the extras.

On the half hour, neat work back inside from Ben Youngs and Dan Kelly allowed Scott to make a smart line, with Kelly drawing the defenders’ attention away from the onrushing outside centre, who darted through to dot down and double the advantage.

Two further scores were added in the last five minutes before the interval as a three-on-two situation was exploited once more by the cunning Youngs, who had the vision to spot the crashing Reffell, who slid into the corner to run in a third.

The fourth was added on the stroke of half time, as Jasper Wiese added his name to the scoresheet, picking up the foundational pieces laid by Chessum and Refell before him to stretch his long arms and touch down.

Reffell was not to be denied his hat-trick however, and he powered over from yet another maul from a corner lineout. Taken well in the air by Dan Cole, a quick snap from the host pack saw Reffell bundle over his third try of the game and put the result within all doubt.

The Falcons’ task was made that much more difficult when their Argentine flanker Pedro Rubiolo was sent to the sin bin for a shoulder-led challenge at the breakdown, and Tigers made their man advantage pay, as the ball broke left with 15 to play, and Solomone Kata, with a lovely fend off, transferred the ball to his left to pop it to Ollie Hassell-Collins, who touched down in the corner after an initial nervy and juggling collection.

Mike Brown added a last-gasp seventh in the final action of the game, ending the day on a high for the Tigers.

Back to the drawing board for Newcastle, but perhaps the start of an upwards trajectory for Leicester as we break for Europe.

There we have it. The Tigers get their seventh try, and a morale-boosting win for them as we break for Europe. Thanks for joining us, be sure to join us for more LIVE Gallagher Premiership action very soon.

A seventh try as the hosts break through once more, with Mike Brown getting on the scoresheet!

Adam Radwan is crunched under the high ball. He's been quiet today, and that's another moment Falcons will want to forget.

What more can we expect from these two sides in the dying embers?

Tigers are almost toying with the visitors here. They've taken their big hitters off, but they still look to be in cruise control.

Tigers have been excellent, but do the visitors really deserve to be down so heavily? The set pieces haven't worked, they've made mistakes, and they've been punished, unfortunately for them.

Ollie Hassell-Collins touches down to the make the man advantage. Kata, the replacement, fends off his man, transfers the ball to other hand, and he finds Hassell-Collins, who dots down after a slight juggle into the corner. The extras are added with no fuss.

Rubiolo is sin binned for a shoulder-led challenge. He avoids the red, but they're down to 14, are Newcastle.

A challenge from Rubiolo over the top at the breakdown warrants a TMO check. He goes in with the shoulder, the Argentine, and that could spell a problem for him.

... from Connon cross-field, looking for Moroni on the far side, but Hassell-Collins is alive to the danger and tackles the Newcastle man into touch.

It's about time the Falcons got over the Leicester line... what can they do here, two metres out?

The scrum is collapsed by the host pack, and the visitors celebrate the decision. A chance for them to reduce the deficit, perhaps?

Pollard and Chessum are both replaced by Kata and Whitcombe, being rested for the European weekend. Ben Youngs has also been replaced by Tom Whiteley.

Pollard puts it between the posts, and it's 33-3.

Tommy Reffell gets his hat-trick! The Falcons defence just erodes under the Tigers pressure from the maul as Cole takes it, and the quick snap finds the hands of Refell, who tumbles over the white line.

Another one as Brantingham, one of the changes, is in at the side of the maul.

Falcons just can't seem to get any kind of foothold in this game. De Chaves has no complaints, and Pollard plonks it back into the corner.

... for the visitors, Rory Jennings, Brantingham, and Cardall are all on.