The Brendan Venter era off to winning start as Sarries beat Tigers
MATCH REPORT: Rotimi Segun’s late try settled a thriller as Saracens opened their Gallagher PREM campaign with a barnstorming 40-38 victory over Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
The visitors withstood losing back rower Nick Isiekwe to a 20-minute red card in the second half and falling behind twice as this early-season heavyweight clash more than lived up to its billing.
A hat-trick from Wales winger Gabriel Hamer-Webb proved to be in vain for the Tigers as Brendan Venter’s second spell as Sarries director of rugby got off to a dramatic start.
Saracens had the game’s first try in just the second minute when Billy Searle was unable to cut out Tomos Williams’ pass close to his own line, allowing Juan Martin Gonzalez to saunter in.
The visitors’ early dominance saw them add a second score before 10 minutes had been played when Fergus Burke threw a superb long pass that gave right wing Tobias Elliott a walk-in.
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Leicester were back in business when Solomone Kata picked up a Searle pass that went to ground before stepping into acres of space to score the hosts’ opening try.
The gap was closed further in the 27th minute when Freddie Steward’s off-load released Hamer-Webb to go over in the corner, with Searle’s missed conversion meaning Saracens still led by two points.
They went more than one score clear again when Elliot Daly – now on the left wing after starting at full-back and having a stint at outside centre – went over following a break from Max Malins.
Burke’s conversion gave his side a 21-12 lead at half-time, but Leicester renewed their hopes again when Finn Carnduff’s pass put Hamer-Webb in the clear for his second try of the afternoon.
Sarries briefly pulled clear once more when Ben Earl powered over close to the posts, but Hamer-Webb completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute when he galloped away off Aaron Wainwright’s pass.
Three minutes later, the Tigers were in front for the first time when Adam Radwan grounded the ball off Jack van Poortvliet’s superb chip over the Saracens defence.
To make matters worse for the away side, they lost Isiekwe to a 20-minute red card for recklessly making head-on-head contact with Steward several phases before Radwan’s score.
Despite being down to 14 men, Saracens led again with just over an hour played when Segun got on the end of Daly’s pinpoint cross-field kick.
Leicester were then back in front when replacement James Thompson blasted his way over from close range, only for momentum to shift yet again in the closing stages.
Following a yellow card for Leicester’s replacement loosehead Tarek Haffar, Malins’ pass allowed Segun to slide in for what was the winning score with seven minutes remaining.
The scorers:
For Leicester Tigers:
Tries: Kata, Hamer-Webb 3, Radwan, Thompson
Cons: Searle 4
For Saracens:
Tries: Gonzalez, Elliott, Daly, Earl, Segun 2
Cons: Burke 5
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Solomone Kata, 12 Joseph Woodward, 11 Gabriel Hamer-Webb, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Jack van Poortvliet (c), 8 Olly Cracknell, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 Finn Carnduff, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Samiuela Moli, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Corbin Thunder, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Will Hurd, 19 James Thompson, 20 Joaquin Moro, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Ollie Hassell-Collins
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Tobias Elliott, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje (c), 3 Marcus Street, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Eroni Mawi
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Olamide Sodeke, 20 Nathan Michelow, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Charlie Bracken, 23 Max Malins
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce and John Meredith
TMO: Andrew Jackson
