Leicester boss Parling makes triumphant return to Newcastle / Photo: MARTIN BUREAU - AFP
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Leicester boss Parling makes triumphant return to Newcastle
Geoff Parling made a winning return to Kingston Park on Friday as his Leicester side extended Newcastle's losing start to the English Prem season with a 39-17 victory.
The Leicester coach, who started his decorated career in the northeast, saw the Tigers run in five tries, including two for Joaquin Moro, as they moved up to third in the table on a night when the domestic campaign resumed after a month-long break for the autumn internationals.
It was a sixth defeat on the spin for the Red Bulls, with former England lock Parling -- previously a member of Australia coach Joe Schmidt's backroom staff -- overseeing a decisive success.
Billy Searle opened the scoring with an early penalty before lock James Thompson went over from a close-range drive.
Leicester were briefly reduced to 14 players when wing Ollie Hassell-Collins was yellow-carded and Newcastle made their advantage count with an Ethan Grayson try.
But minutes later, Leicester No.8 Moro went through a huge gap in the home defence for another try converted by Searle.
The Red Bulls kicked a penalty to reduce Leicester's half-time lead to 17-10 but England full-back Freddie Steward's second league try this season saw the Tigers pull clear again.
The Tigers made sure of a four-try bonus point seven minutes from time when Moro's sharp line finished a move started when replacement fly-half James O'Connor ran back a kick.
In Friday's other league match, Exeter staged a spectacular comeback from 26-6 down to win 27-26 away to Sale as they went top of the Prem.
When England fly-half George Ford converted Sale's second try from Alex Wills after 46 minutes, the northwest side seemed to have an unassailable lead.
But two quick tries from Jack Yeandle and Olly Woodburn took Exeter to within a converted score before Australia prop Scott Sio was ruled to have got over the line 10 minutes from time, with England centre Henry Slade kicking what turned out to be the clinching conversion.
Exeter's first away league win since April 2024 took them above Northampton on points difference ahead of the rest of the weekend's Prem games.
M.F.Schmitz--JdB
