Rugby Union: It's one, two, three O'Leary

THE YOUNG English wings Daren O'Leary and Leon Lloyd took the opportunity to dazzle against unfancied opponents as yesterday's contests in the fourth round of the Tetley's Bitter Cup largely followed the formbook.

O'Leary, 25, helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as Harlequins trounced their neighbours Esher, the present leaders of Jewson National League Two South, 46-10 at the Stoop Memorial Ground. The New Zealand-born wing Jamie Williams also ran in two of the Quins' seven tries.

Lloyd, 21, went one better than O'Leary with four tries as the Allied Dunbar Premiership One leaders Leicester handed out a 65-6 hammering to Barking, another team from League Two South. Jamie Hamilton celebrated a rare appearance at scrum-half for the Tigers with two more of their 11 tries.

Even better news for the Leicester coach Dean Richards was the successful return of his South African fly-half Joel Stransky following a knee injury. None the less, Richards' counterpart, the 42-year-old former England prop Jeff Probyn, could reflect with pride on the display of his team of part- timers even though he confessed to being personally a little off the pace.

There was another unequal struggle at League Two North club Sedgeley Park in Manchester where Wasps won 53-3. The England captain Lawrence Dallaglio decided to give himself the afternoon off but his side still possessed far too much guile and power as they ran in nine tries, the Scotland wing Kenny Logan and the No 8 Peter Scrivener each claiming hat- tricks and the full-back Paul Sampson a brace.

Perhaps the most thrilling ties were the two derbies involving Premiership Two clubs - in Yorkshire where Leeds won 27-24 at Rotherham, and in Lancashire where Waterloo only saw off rivals Orrell 18-11 in extra time. Yesterday's game at Rotherham (the fourth between the sides this season) always looked destined to be closely fought. And so it proved, as the home side's Simon Bunting and the visiting captain Stuart Reid were sent off following a second-half set-to. Waterloo's key figure was their captain David Blyth who scored two tries.

The day's only upset came at The Reddings where Moseley of Premiership Two lost by the odd point in 49 to their League One visitors Lydney, for whom Chris Dunlop scored two tries. Another League One side not so lucky against Premiership Two opposition was Nottingham who went down 24-8 at home to Exeter.

Gloucester confirmed last night that they had completed the signing of Tom Beim, the 23-year-old wing who won two England caps in New Zealand last summer, from Sale.