Tigers turn feisty after their first half mauling
SARACENS, seemingly cruising to a big win soon after the break, somehow ended up missing out on a bonus point against an obdurate Tigers side that refused to capitulate.
The Premiership leaders were crisply efficient in first half as they put daylight between themselves and Leicester but will be disappointed to have fallen away in the last half hour.
Saracens will be delighted though not to have picked up further injuries after the recent loss of Alastair Hargreaves through retirement, with George Kruis, Maro Itoje and indeed all the England players from both sides emerged unscathed. Today they head to Portugal for England’s five day training camp ahead of the Autumn internationals.
Among those going will be young Leicester prop Ellis Genge, who put in a huge shift after coming on as an early replacement for Marcos Ayerza. The 21 yearold used his energy and off-loading to much inspire Leicester’s mini revival in the second half.
Jones raised a few eyebrows when he included Genge in his tour party to Australia this summer but there was more than a glimpse of his exciting potential yesterday. One dynamic hand off sent Schalk Burger reeling back and not many do that.
The spoils went to Saracens however and they didn’t waste time to get a firm grip with an early try from Kevin Wyles, Jackson Wray providing a classy finishing pass.
Owain Williams did peg Sarries back a little with a penalty after a threatening 18 phase Tigers attack but the relief was temporary with Owen Farrell adding a penalty before a cleverly taken try by Sean Maitland in the right hand corner.
The Scotland utility back demonstrated his nose for the line down in Toulon recently and he took this latest try expertly after an attack initiated by Alex Goode who also popped up later to deliver the try scoring pass.
That completed the first half scoring although there was a minor shock before the break when Farrell missed a penalty, his first errant kick of the season, albeit he only started in earnest earlier this month.
Saracens went straight for the jugular soon after half-time with a simple lineout rumble try for Burger after good work from Jim Hamilton and at that stage they looked odds on to score at least one more try.
Tigers were having none of that and with their bench, led by a very in-from Freddie Burns, playing a fine hand, they dominated the rest of the game.
It was Burns who made the sizzling break that eventually led to Leicester’s try by replacement George Catchpole and Tigers continued to press hard in the final quarter without much luck.
Saracens’ victory now sees them six points clear at the top of the Premiership although Wasps can close that considerably if they beat Newcastle today.
For Leicester, who remain fourth for now, it was a curate’s egg performance but the last half hour will give them real hope. Suddenly forwards and backs began to combine well and if they replicate that continuity regularly lesser sides than Saracens will crumble.