Cardiff (6) 20
Try: Rush, Blair
Cons: Blair (2)
Pens: Blair (2)

Five second-half tries saw Leicester to a comprehensive win over Cardiff in the EDF Energy Cup match at Welford Road.

Andy Goode created the Tigers' first two tries, kicking through for Tom Varndell and Johne Murphy to score.

Cardiff hit back through Xavier Rush, but the Tigers ensured the win thanks to tries from Dan Hipkiss and Murphy's second score of the afternoon.

Leicester's fifth came courtesy of a penalty try before Blues full-back Ben Blair scored a late consolation.

Interview: Leicester captain Martin Corry

The second half finished in complete contrast to the first, which saw all the points come from the boots of Goode and Blair.

But the turning point came in the 38th minute when Blues hooker Gareth Williams was shown the yellow card for not rolling away from a tackle.

Goode, sporting Wyatt Earp-style facial hair groomed for charity, slotted home the ensuing penalty from 40 minutes to give the home side a 9-6 lead on the cusp of half-time.

Williams's spell in the sin-bin proved crucial as the defending champions added 15 unanswered points.

606: DEBATE Discuss Leicester's win over Cardiff

Varndell went over for Leicester's first on 44 minutes when he latched on to Goode's brilliant chip to finish in the corner.

The fly-half then dissected the Blues defence four minutes later with a pinpoint grubber kick for substitute Murphy's first score of the afternoon, via the video referee.

Cardiff fought back to within eight points of the hosts on 58 minutes thanks to a brilliant 20-metre burst from prop John Yapp, who was held up just short of the posts.

Number eight Rush managed to find the tryline from the ensuing ruck - via the video referee once again - and Blair added the extras from the conversion.

But the Tigers upped the pace when Hipkiss burst through a gaping hole in the Blues defence on 66 minutes to score unopposed under the posts, giving Paul Burke, on for the injured Goode, the simplest of conversions.

Murphy grabbed his second when he took advantage of a knock on from Wales centre Tom Shanklin.

And referee Nigel Owens awarded the Tigers a penalty try in the final five minutes when Cardiff collapsed a scrum on their tryline.

New Zealander Blair reduced the deficit in the final few seconds of the match, bursting through the Tigers defence to score under the posts.

The result leaves the Blues needing to win at Bath in the final round of group fixtures and hope Leicester slip up against Sale if they are to reach the semi-finals.