Full-time: Leicester Tigers 36 Newcastle Falcons 17
Newcastle Falcons started the new Aviva Premiership season in much the same way as they finished the last as they slipped to a resounding defeat at Leicester Tigers.
Falcons just about matched their hosts during the first half, and only trailed by nine points at the interval as a penalty from summer signing Juan Pablo Socino helped cancel out four three-pointers from Freddie Burns.
However, Leicester ran away with things after the interval, with a hat-trick of tries from Fijian winger Vereniki Goneva ultimately giving the scoreboard a fairly one-sided look.
Richard Mayhew's try had briefly raised hopes of a surprise Falcons victory, but Goneva's tally of three tries in the space of 17 minutes swung things decisively in the home side's favour.
Replacement scrum-half David Mele crossed to ensure Leicester would claim a bonus point, before Andy Saull was driven over for a late consolation for Newcastle.
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