Wales star Tommy Reffell wrecked Joe Marler’s big day and left Tabai Matson cursing his darkest hour at Harlequins.
The Leicester flanker scored two tries and denied Luke Northmore one back for Quins with a superb tackle as Tigers rediscovered their champion selves.
It was a performance of such dominance that the Londoners, aka rugby’s great entertainers, were 10 minutes from becoming the first Premiership team this season to fail to score a point.
“We were bested everywhere, they arm-wrestled that game completely off us,” complained Matson.
“It was Joe’s 250th appearance and for him to have to put up with that is pretty disappointing. it’s probably the worst I’ve felt.”
Seen through the prism of off-field calamities endured by Worcester and Wasps, yes this was a bad day at the office - but at least Quins still have an office.
That was scant consolation, however, for Matson as he raked through the ashes of a home humbling.
Reffell, 23, set the tone by crossing for his first try on six minutes. When he bagged his second Leicester were 17-0 up and in cruise control.
“Tommy is an incredible glue in this team,” said Tigers director of rugby Steve Borthwick. “He reads the game brilliantly."
This was a huge result for Leicester given they came in having been hit for 50 by Saracens and handed their first home league defeat in more than a year by Sale.
With their next league game not until November 11, due to fixtures against Wasps and Worcester being canned and having a bye round in successive weeks, the need for a morale-boosting performance was obvious.
Quins finally got on the scoreboard in the 70th minute when Cadan Murley rounded off a slick first-phase move. But that was quickly cancelled out by Anthony Watson’s interception, bonus point score.
Murley was not done, scoring a second in the final minute to join Saracens' Max Malins on seven at the top of the Premiership charts - then going almost the length to set up Danny Care for Quins’ third in front of England boss Eddie Jones.
It left Matson hailing him as the best left winger in the league - and fuming at his side’s inability to feed him more opportunities.
Matson went on to deny that Quins would be signing Joe Launchbury, who today attends a player meeting at Wasps' Henley-in-Arden training ground where the club's fate is expected to become known.
A report linking Wasps to a merger with London Irish, meanwhile, has been described by the Exiles as "total and utter speculation".
QUINS - Tries: Murley 2, Care. Cons: Smith 2.
LEICESTER - Tries: Reffell 2, Montoya, Watson. Cons: Burns 2. Pen: Burns.
