European Challenge Cup: Leicester Tigers beat Bayonne 28-20 in France

Steve Borthwick's Tigers made it two from two with victory in Bayonne

Leicester produced an excellent defensive effort to beat Bayonne 28-20 and earn a second Challenge Cup win.

Tries from Tommy Reffell and Dan Kelly helped Tigers into a 17-6 lead after half an hour but, after Bayonne pressure late in the half, Joe Heyes and Nephi Leatigaga were yellow-carded.

Against 13 men, Hugo Zabalaza went over just before half time, but Zach Henry kicked two Tigers penalties in reply.

Kini Murimurivalu extended Tigers' lead before Andre Gorin got a try back

Leicester are one of three teams with two wins out of two in the pool stages.

Tigers started strongly as Henry set up Reffell for an early first try as he broke from a scrum on the 22 before feeding the flanker, and the fly-half added a penalty before Kelly went over from close range following a five-metre lineout for a 14-point lead.

In the final 10 minutes of the first half Bayonne found their attacking rhythm and the Tigers did well to repel a number of attacks on their try-line, but the pressure told in the final three minutes of the half as first Heyes was yellow-carded for a ruck infringement and then Leatigaga was penalised for pulling down a maul soon after.

Scrum-half Zabalaza darted over from the resulting penalty in the final moments of the first half, but despite being two men down Leicester excelled immediately after the break as Henry kicked two penalties and the Tigers kept their French opponents out.

Leicester's defence was again excellent as Bayonne repeatedly tried to break through, and the Tigers scored from a rare foray forward as they capitalised on a handling error and Henry's cross-field kick was caught by Murimurivalu who went over.

Bayonne again pressed and Cyle Brink was sin-binned, allowing the French side to finally get a second try with 12 minutes left as Andre Gorin was forced over after a number of phases.

But Leicester held on and Bayonne missed out on a losing bonus point when Maxime Lafarge's last-minute penalty hit the post.

Bayonne: Luc; Baget, Muscarditz (capt), Hingano, Duhau; Lafage, Zabalza; Cormenier, Delonca, Mousset, Pyle, Ducat, Galarza, Heguy, Taofifenua

Replacements: Ulugia, Perchaud, Nixon, Gorin, Duputs, Ruru, Lestrade, Germain

Leicester: Murimurivalu, Porter, Taute (capt), Kelly, Simmons; Henry, White; Leatigaga, Clare, Heyes, Henderson, Lavanini, Chessum, Reffell, Taufua

Replacements: Whitcombe, Kerr, Cole, Wells, Brink, Wallace, Van Poortvliet, Díaz Bonilla

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)

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