Five tries did the damage - two each for Adam Shaw and Tim Cardall after Luc Jeannot had opened the scoring - but it was an early period of defence that set the tone on a bruising afternoon and coach Mark Hopley was full of praise for the youngsters.
“I’m immensely proud of the boys and how they went about the job today,” Hopley told SaintsTV. “We can talk about all the technical points and nitty gritty stuff, but what it actually comes down to is desire and passion.
“We showed that in the first 20 minutes. Phase after phase, wave after wave of attack, I though our defence was outstanding and we went on from there.”
It was a period in which Rory Hutchinson was also yellow carded for a borderline tip-tackle, but one that ended pointless despite Tigers’ relentless efforts.
And when play headed upfield for the first time, the hosts quickly took advantage. A lineout was lost but with Tigers under pressure to clear, Cardall made the block and the ball bounced kindly for Jeannott to pounce.
Leicester quickly hit back, Ryan Olowofela bursting over from close range, but by now it was the Saints in the ascendency.
Gregor Haldane slotted three points on top of his conversion and was on the mark again when Shaw streaked clear with an interception to open up a 17-5 gap at the interval.
With the wind at their backs it was one they would steadily go about building upon and Shaw first doubled up with an excellent solo effort. The ball was spun wide with accuracy and when the full back hit the line at pace to pass the first man up, he also found a delicate kick through and beat the cover to ground.
Tigers continued to plug away, but to little effect and when Jacob Umaga rolled the dice with an audacious chip and chase, Cardall was well positioned to steal and canter beneath the posts.
Bonus in the bag, it was the Saints who would have the final say, too, driving Cardall over on the right for a dominant finish to an emphatic victory.
TIMELINE
6mins SAINTS Yellow Hutchinson
8mins TIGS Miss pen Hargreaves
20mins SAINTS Try Jeannott Con Haldane 7-0
25mins TIGS Try Olowofela 7-5
33mins SAINTS Pen Haldane 10-5
35mins SAINTS Try Shaw Con Haldane 17-5
HALF-TIME SAINTS 17 TIGERS 5
66mins SAINTS Try Cardall Con Haldane 31-5
69mins SAINTS Try Cardall Con Grayson 38-5
69mins TIGS Red Evitt
FULL-TIME SAINTS U18 38 TIGERS 5
SAINTS U18 Shaw; T Segun, Hamilton, Hutchinson, R Segun; Haldane, Morris; Palmer, Fish, Jeannot, Trinder, Hawkins (capt), Cardall, Allman, Cox
Reps: Davison, Marmion, Byrne, Carter, Watson, Richardson, Grayson, Mallinder
TIGERS Sutton; Odogwu, Worth (capt), Umaga, R Olowofela; Hargreaves, Prince; Jack, Nairn, Tuilagi, Green, Harvey, Poole, Priestly-Nangle, Murrin
Reps: Evitt, Charters, Galletly, Hutchinson, White, Yawayawa, J Olowofela
