Wooly bullies table-toppers
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SARACENS boss Mark Mccall was back in the day job to see his side topple leaders Leicester and hailed their fighting spirit.
Mccall had a month off for health reasons but was back in the north London hot seat again yesterday as Sarries put Tigers back in their box.
This was only the second time this season Leicester have lost and conceded a try bonus point as the Londoners proved more streetwise.
There were standout performances from centre Alex Lozowski, who is on the fringes of the England squad, and Elliot Daly, who will be recalled by Eddie Jones today.
And home hooker Tom Woolstencroft scored twice to make light of Jamie George’s absence with England.
But it was a triumph for the Saracens defence who repelled the George Ford-led Tigers to move into second.
Sarries conceded an early score to lock Eli Snyman before hitting back through Woolstencroft, Alex Lewington, who finished neatly from Daly’s pass, and Sean Maitland to lead by nine points at the break.
Soon after Vincent Koch crashed over but Leicester ramped it up in the second half as Saracens saw scrumhalf Aled Davies sent to the sin-bin.
Hooker Nic Dolly and flanker Ollie Chessum both went over before a second for Woolstencroft made the game safe for the hosts.
Mccall said: “There was the odd moment where it felt like we could have packed up.
“The level of commitment we showed in our 22 and the level of fight we had for one another was pretty special.”
The one lowlight for
Mccall was seeing prop
Mako Vunipola taken off with a leg injury.
Mccall added: “It doesn’t look great. It’s such a shame because he’s been playing such wonderful rugby.”
Tigers boss Steve Borthwick said: “We have been here 18 months, Saracens have been together a decade, and quite rightly they have been at the top of European rugby for years.
“They have run that system of defence for a lot of years and it is very well drilled.
“We are still at a young stage but we will take a lot from the game.”