An ambulance pulled up outside the main entrance just before the kick-off and with nine of the remaining fit England squad players on display, the driver would not have been tempted to stray too far. The main casualty, though, looked like being Leicester’s pride as they fell 21 points behind early in the second-half, but the Tigers roused themselves and should have secured a bonus point.
Saracens were ruffled but go into the international period at the top of the table after what has become a customary home victory over Leicester who had tended to reserve their worst for the artificial surface here: four appearances and four heavy defeats with an average score of 37-10 to Saracens. They started with the resolve and force that had seen off Racing 92 six days before, but needed more against the league and European champions.
Opponents have to seize the moment against Saracens and when Peter Betham picked up Mako Vunipola’s loose pass near halfway six minutes in he was, for once, not confronted by a wall of defenders. The Australian ran towards the home 22, looking around for support, but opted to pass long rather than short and Adam Thompstone was unable to hold on. Leicester conceded a free-kick at the subsequent scrum, lost a lineout on their own throw after Sarries kicked to touch and were soon lining up under their own posts after Jamie George’s run off the ball created the space for Chris Wyles to score in the corner.
Saracens’ second try came after 23 when Owen Williams, standing near his own line, kicked weakly down field. The home side had not been afraid to put the ball dead when there was no opportunity to roll it into space, but the Leicester fly‑half seemed wedded to a gameplan as he gave Alex Goode ample time to launch a counterattack. Mako Vunipola gave the move impetus and when the ball was moved right, Goode came into the line at pace and although his pass to Sean Maitland lacked accuracy, the wing had time to pick up and twist out of JP Pietersen’s tackle to score.
It was Maitland’s fourth try of the season, evidence that Chris Ashton may not be missed. The Scotland international is more purposeful and alert than he was at London Irish last season, finishing moves smartly.
Leicester had purpose but they were too loose and their kicking strategy, which seemed to be designed to take play out of their half, lacked thought. Their evolution from route one to all-encompassing has been trying: while they are more creative, they have become vulnerable defensively, conceding 17 tries in five away matches this season.
They took play through 17 phases before Williams’s 14th-minute penalty that made it 7-3, but they struggled in the scrum, penalised five times even though Saracens were without their two second-rows and had to conscript a flanker, Michael Rhodes, to fill in, and lost four of their lineouts with the hosts looking to put the thrower Tom Youngs under pressure from the outset.
The Tigers set out to win the physical battle, but there was the sight, and sound, of Rhodes thundering into Pietersen, Mako Vunipola flattening his England colleague Ellis Genge, a first quarter replacement for Marcos Ayerza who did not return after a head injury assessment, and Ben Youngs found himself driven back 15 metres by Billy Vunipola.
It was how the most successful team in the Premiership’s history used to overwhelm opponents, but Leicester are among the pack chasing Saracens, and from some way behind.
Saracens led 17-3 at the interval with Farrell supplementing his wings’ two tries with a penalty, although he hit the post just before the break. When Billy Vunipola scored his side’s third try after brother Mako won a penalty that Sarries turned into a lineout, it looked all over.
One feature that has not changed with Leicester is their determination, down but never out. They brought Freddie Burns off the bench, not to replace Williams but give them a second fly-half and a more creative hue. He had been one for six minutes when Mako Vunipola, in a surprising loss of control, shoulder-charged him off the ball and was sent to the sin-bin.
Suddenly, Saracens were hanging on. Burns broke out of his own 22, sidestepping out of two tackles and fragmenting the defence, the support play was incisive and when George Catchpole scored in the corner, the Tigers rediscovered their roar. It was not enough to clot the mistakes that had bedevilled their performance, such as knock-ons and misdirected passes, but they were on the front foot for the final 20 minutes and for once left here with something to cling on to.
Saracens: Goode; Maitland, Tompkins (Bosch 56), Barritt (capt), Wyles; Farrell (Lozowski 74), Spencer (Wigglesworth 52); M Vunipola (Barrington 74), George (Brits 50), Figallo (Du Plessis 61), Rhodes (Brown 61), Hamilton (Flanagan 78), Wray, Burger, B Vunipola.
Tries: Wyles, Maitland, B Vunipola. Cons: Farrell 3. Pen: Farrell. Sin-bin: M Vunipola 62
Leicester: Tait; Thompstone, Betham, Roberts (Burns 56), Pietersen (Catchpole 64); Williams, B Youngs (Harrison 52); Ayerza (Genge 19), T Youngs (capt; McGuigan 59), Cole (Mulipola 59), Slater (Evans 64), Kitchener, Fitzgerald, O’Connor (Hamilton 70), McCaffrey.
Try: Catchpole. Con: Williams. Pen: Williams.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Attendance: 9,734
