Warriors opened the season in style with an eight try demolition of Leicester and their fourth straight victory over the Tigers inside 12 months.
Despite not having played any pre-season friendlies it took Warriors only 20 minutes to hit their straps and they had the bonus point wrapped up by half-time when replacement wing Alex Hearle went over for his maiden senior try with his very first touch of the ball.
There were also first tries for Warriors for Isaac Miller, debutant Caleb Montgomery, Ashley beck and Farai Mudariki in a dominant display in front of a sun-baked crowd.
Although Leicester travelled with an inexperienced side they were lively in attack and gave Warriors a good work-out after a long summer of training.
In fact Leicester led three times in the opening quarter with Tom Hardwick kicking two penalties either side of Lance’s first and then wing Andy Forsyth rounding off a counter-attack and Hardwick converting.
But Warriors had already signalled their intention when Perry Humphreys scythed through for the opening try after 13 minutes following a sniping run from Michael Heaney from a scrum.
Lance added the conversion and with Graham Kitchener enjoying himself against his former club in the lineouts Warriors established a commanding lead.
Kitchener’s lineout take and a big carry from Ted Hill opened up Leicester’s defence and Miller crossed for his first try for Warriors on his first start.
Wales centre Beck set up the third with the break that splintered Leicester’s defence. GJ van Velze worked his way down the right and debutant Caleb Montgomery finished.
Warriors lost Dean Hammond to a Head Injury Assessment in the final minute of the first half but it did not disrupt Warriors as another sweeping attack at pace was expertly finished by Hearle and Lance banged over his fourth conversion.
Leicester scored first in the second half with Hardwick landing an easy penalty but it only temporaily disrupted Warriors.
A storming run from Hill, who carried powerfully all afternoon, was well finished by Beck for Warriors’ only unconverted try of the match.
Mudariki, the Zimbabwe international tighthead prop, proved unstoppable from close range when he rounded off another sustained attack and this time van Breda, who took over the kicking duties after Lance was substituted, added the conversion.
Warriors were awarded a penalty try for a tackle off the ball after Hill had again punched a huge hole in Leicester’s defence which brought up the half century.
Shillcock finished off another sweeping attack for what proved to be Warriors’ eighth and final try with van Breda levering over the conversion.
But it was Leicester who rounded off the scoring when Johnny McPhillips skipped through with the final play of an entertaining match.
Warriors | 15 Scott van Breda, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ashley Beck 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Dean Hammond (Hearle 39), 10 Jono Lance (Shillcock 55), 9 Michael Heaney (Simpson 55), 1 Ethan Waller (Bower 55), 2 Isaac Miller (Cutting 55), 3 Conor Carey (Mudariki 55), 4 James Scott, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Caleb Montgomery, 8 GJ van Velze (C).
Replacements | 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Ryan Bower, 18 Farai Mudariki, 19 Michael Fatialofa, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Alex Hearle.
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Timeline
3m | Hardwick pen 0-3
7m | Lance pen 3-3
11m | Hardwick pen 3-6
13m Humphreys try 8-6
14m | Lance con 10-6
16m | Forsyth try 10-11
17m | Hardwick con 10-13
21m | Miller try 15-13
22m | Lance con 17-13
33m | Montgomery try 22-13
34m | Lance con 24-13
39m | Hearle try 29-13
40m | Lance con 31-13
44m | Hardwick pen 31-16
46m | Beck try 36-16
60m | Mudariki try 41-16
61m | van Breda con 43-16
75m | Penalty try 50-16
77m | Shillcock try 55-16
78m | van Breda con 57-16
80m | McPhillips try 57-21
80m | Hardwick con 57-23