Handre Pollard stars as Leicester hammer Sharks at Welford Road

The Sharks chose to travel to England without a number of their Springbok stars, including Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Lukhanyo Am and Aphelele Fassi, and paid the price as they were blown off the park, ultimately going down 56-17 in an eight-try rout.

Springbok flyhalf Pollard scored one of those eight tries for Leicester, while also contributing 12 points with the boot in the shape of six conversions.

The Sharks actually led 10-7 after an early try from Emmanuel Tshituka and a penalty and conversion from flyhalf Siya Masuku, but their chances were effectively snuffed out during the final 15 minutes of the first half as the Tigers added four unanswered tries in quick succession to take a 35-10 lead into the break.

Leicester's first-half tries came courtesy of Pollard, Argentina's Julian Montoya (2), England's Ollie Hassell-Collins and Tongan Solomane Kate - all rugby internationals.

England scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet joined the party by adding another five-pointer early in the second half, and though there was brief hope of the Sharks mounting a respectable finish when Ethan Hooker hit back with their second try on the hour mark, Leicester would finish the match in emphatic fashion, scoring two more tries via Charlie Clare and Emeka Ilione to inflict a heavy defeat on John Plumtree's side.

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