Leicester Tigers have defeated Ulster Rugby 38-10 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road to advance through to the next stage of the Investec Champions Cup.

A hat-trick from Josh Basset sealed a Tigers victory which was secured thanks to a powerful third quarter of the game.

Tigers has the better of the running early on, but it was Ulster who would take control of the scoreboard.

Scrum half Nathan Doak opened the scoring through his boot, before Nick Timoney pounced on a loose ball to score the game’s first try.

Doak’s conversion made it 10-0 after 10 minutes. It would be their final points of the night.

Leicester looked good with ball-in-hand, and though it took time, eventually their consistent pressure turned into points.

The forwards rumbled, but it was deft hands from the backs in the Leicester chill which saw Josh Bassett get the try.

Pollard converted from out-wide, 10-7 Ulster.

Tigers were now in the ascendancy, but it would take until the 40th minute for Bassett to get his and Tigers second try. Crucially, despite Pollard’s normal accuracy, Tigers took a 12-10 lead into the break.

Leicester came firing out of the blocks in the second period.

Again it was the forwards who did the hard yards, but it was the backs, led by player of the match Freddie Steward, who was delivering the final blow.

Steward’s pass to Ollie Hassell-Collins gave the winger a simple finish for his first, and after a scything break and offload from Steward, OHC has more to do for his second., but made it a brilliant brace to go with Bassett’s.

Not to be outdone, Bassett would bag his hat-trick not long after Hassell-Collins’ second.

With Pollard down after being hit late off the ball, Steward converted from the touch line to make it 31-10.

Moments later, Izaia Perese stole onto a loose ball, scooped it up brilliantly, and showed plenty of pace and power to send Tigers into a now commanding lead.

Jamie Shillcock’s conversion made it 38-10 and that's how it would stay.