The "Star Man" The Billy Searle Show!

A hat-trick and 27 points for the fly-half in a masterclass performance against Bayonne. The Tigers are roaring their way through Europe this season!

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Billy Searle - Image by Mark Dunn for UK Sports Pics

Searle’s Hat-Trick Inspires Nine-Try Rout as Tigers Maul Bayonne at Mattioli Woods Welford Road – Saturday, 10th January 2026

Leicester Tigers reignited their Investec Champions Cup campaign in spectacular fashion on Saturday night, dismantling French side Bayonne 57-14 in a clinical nine-try display. On a freezing night at Welford Road, the home side provided plenty of heat for the 18,000-strong crowd, led by a masterclass from fly-half Billy Searle, who bagged a hat-trick and a personal haul of 27 points.

First-Half Blitz

The Tigers didn’t wait for the frost to thaw, striking twice within the opening 15 minutes. Winger Adam Radwan was the beneficiary of Leicester’s early dominance, finishing two sharp moves in the right corner to put the hosts 10-0 up.

Adam Radwin - Image by Mark Dunn for UK Sports Pics

Bayonne, featuring former Tigers legend Manu Tuilagi, struggled to handle the pace of the Leicester backline. While Tuilagi’s trademark carries briefly threatened the Leicester line, the Tigers' defense held firm. Before the break, the forwards took control:

• Tommy Reffell powered over from a well-executed rolling maul.

• Cameron Henderson secured the try bonus point before the whistle, bursting through a gap created by a slick Freddie Steward line-break.

Half-Time Score: Leicester Tigers 24 – 0 Bayonne

The Searle Show

Any hopes of a French resurgence were quickly snuffed out after the restart. Although Bayonne’s Tom Spring found a gap to score early in the second half, it only served to provoke a Tigers onslaught.

Billy Searle, continuing his rich vein of form, took the game away from the visitors. His first try came from a gliding Freddie Steward assist, but it was his second that brought the stadium to its feet—a 50-metre interception sprint that left the Bayonne cover defense in the dust.

When Bayonne scrum-half Baptiste Tilloles was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, Leicester exploited the man advantage ruthlessly. Searle completed his hat-trick in the corner, before late scores from Ollie Chessum and replacement Emeka Ilione put the gloss on a dominant performance.

Match Statistics

Looking Ahead

This victory marks Leicester's 12th win in their last 13 games at Welford Road, turning their home ground into a genuine fortress. For Geoff Parling’s men, the focus now shifts to a grueling trip to South Africa to face the DHL Stormers next weekend.

Images by Mark Dunn for UK Sports Pics