Pre-season games are all about preparing players for the hard, physical challenges that lie ahead and as such, results can often be misleading.

But this was an entertaining evening’s rugby for a crowd of well over 2,000 to enjoy, and despite the one-sided scoreline there were some encouraging signs for Nottingham, particularly in the first half hour.

With so many replacements used over the course of the second half it all got a little messy, but Tigers’ strength in depth proved far too much for the Green and Whites. Former Bristol winger Lee Robinson ran in a second half hat trick as our neighbours completed a comfortable 54-7 win.

Sadly the game was marred by a serious-looking ankle injury to Nottingham hooker Jimmy Stevens eight minutes into the second half.

Stevens had enjoyed an impressive debut, with some good, accurate lineout throwing, but had to be carried from the field and was later taken to Queens Medical Centre.

We wish him the very best and a speedy recovery.

After a lively start in which both sides looked to run the ball it was Tigers who broke the deadlock with a try from winger Alesana Tuilagi close to the posts, giving Jeremy Staunton a straightforward conversion.

Nottingham’s first spell of prolonged pressure saw them force a penalty, following a typical break from David Jackson, which James Arlidge kicked to touch but the pack was unable to make any ground from the resulting close range lineout and eventually conceded a scrum.

Although the Green and Whites kept play in the Leicester half they still could not find a way through the defence and were hit on the counter attack when a deep kick brought the visitors a lineout inside the home 22. A good drive from the resulting lineout saw No 8 Tom Waldrom crash over, with Staunton again converting.

Two good drives from the Nottingham pack, one in attack and one in defence, lifted their confidence and they finished the first half with another good spell, only to again fall for the sucker punch when they lost possession in the Leicester 22.

Winger Horacio Agulla raced clear for a try, Staunton making it 21-nil at the break with another simple conversion.

A quickly taken penalty at the start of the second half almost saw Tigers stretch their lead but a foot in touch gave Nottingham the chance to clear.

And when they then took play into the Tigers’  half they got themselves back into the game with a bizarre try.

Despite being pushed back a couple of metres at a scrum they snapped up possession when the ball squirted loose. Tim Usasz sent Jonny Baird away, and the supporting Tom Armes took a well timed pass to cross the line, Arlidge adding the conversion to make it 7-21.

But within a minute Tigers cancelled out that score with a try from replacement winger Lee Robinson, Staunton again converting.

Tigers took control from this point and quickly added a fifth try when scrum half James Grindall crossed, with Staunton making it 7-35.

A second from Robinson, this time converted by replacement George Ford, took the Tigers’ tally into the forties. And Robinson completed an impressive hat trick four minutes later.

A late pushover from Matt Everard, also converted by Ford, made the final score Nottingham 7 Tigers 54.