Leicester Tigers star: 'Going away with Wales has really helped push that'

Gabriel Hamer-Webb was thrilled with his own five-star show as Leicester Tigers enhanced their bid for another PREM Rugby title with a crushing 62-3 victory over Newcastle.

The wing, who made his Wales debut in the recent Guinness Six Nations, was on fire in a game in which former Kingston Park favourites Jamie Blamire and Adam Radwan also scored two tries apiece against their old side.

The Tigers celebrated the 5000th game in their 146-year club history and still lie in third place in the table. Hamer-Webb, who had a potential Premiership record-equalling sixth try ruled out for a foot in touch at the death, enthused: “My previous best was a hat-trick so this is special.

“All I had to do was get on the end of everything. I had to thank the other boys who helped me do it. Obviously the sixth one which got away will be in my nightmares tonight, and it’s £100 coming out of my pocket.

“I’m finding my feet and the confidence is there. Going away with Wales has really helped push that. Seeing the international standard of how to do things and coming back here to carry on that. Being around the likes of Ollie Chessum, JVP (Jack van Poortvliet) and Freddie Steward too, who set such high standards.”

Leicester put the poor Red Bulls to the sword in merciless fashion and leave Newcastle still with just one win in 13 games.

The home side are well set with five games to seal their top-four spot, with Hamer-Webb adding: “We wanted to be relentless throughout.

“We didn’t want to let the scoreboard change what we were doing. The message in each huddle was stick to our basics and we’ll get over the line every time. We didn’t need to do anything flamboyant.

“It was massive for George Martin too, who was coming back after a year out. We wanted to do it for him too.

“People have it in their minds of Leicester Tigers being this bullying upfront team, but we are much more than that now and much more of an expansive side. The word is to be relentless, be confident and go all out for it.”

Leicester head coach Geoff Parling said: “There were a lot of good things out there and it would have been great had Gabe got that sixth try. He’s already got some stick off the lads for not getting it.”

Red Bulls coach Stephen Jones, whose side were down to 13 men early with a yellow card to centre Elliott Obatoyinbo and 20-minute red for number eight Ollie Leatherbarrow, admitted: “There is real disappointment in the changing room as the boys wanted to give a better account of themselves.

“Tigers came right at us and knocked us out of our synch. Losing the two guys early also didn’t help. We have a quick turnaround and have to pick ourselves up for Bristol on Friday.”