PREM: Saracens 19-15 Leicester Tigers: Sarries secure gritty win to stay in play-off fight

The hosts started the better under the sun, and would also be the team to score first, a combination of youth in the third minute as Charlie Bracken would find Olly Hartley, who evaded a few men himself to touchdown under the posts.

Sarries were sloppy in the minutes that followed, allowing Leicester to slowly move up the pitch. Tom Willis also went off for an HIA early. How big a miss will the number eight be?

Quite big it seemed, as just two minutes later, a multi-phase Tigers attack was finished off by England international Freddie Steward. It’s the full-backs’ 128^th game for Leicester, second only to Hanro Liebenberg.

Leicester’s Izaia Perese was shown a yellow card in the 13^th minute after playing the scrum half. Saracens have a good record against teams with fewer men, typically scoring 12 points every ten minutes when they face 14 or 13. And they did score with the advantage, the five-try man against Sale from last week, Noah Calouri finishing off a move from a scrum, including a chip and chase via going off the pitch from himself. The 19-year-old has 18 Prem tries in just 9 games this season.

Tom Willis had failed his HIA too, meaning Nathan Michelow would be staying on for the remainder of the game. Quite a bit of poor rugby came in the next 10 minutes, with both teams making numerous mistakes, such as knock-ons, but that was broken, as Ollie Hassell-Collins scored after a routine Leicester attack. It was the winger’s first try since October.

Saracens thought they had replied straight away from an unbelievable leap in the corner by Noah Calouri, but the first try-scorer Olly Hartley had knocked it on a phase previously. And as the time ticked over past 40 minutes, Billy Searle missed a penalty, sending both teams level at 12-12 heading into half-time.

No changes as expected from either team, but Saracens have a very important 40 minutes for their season, as if they don’t win today, their chances of finishing in the top 4 will be extremely slim.

It could’ve been a nightmare start for them as a smart Leicester lineout took them to the 3-metre line, before a Maro Itoje try-saving tackle pushed the Tigers out into touch

Just eight minutes later, a steam-rolling lineout ended up in replacement Eroni Mawi’s hands. Joe Heyes had originally thought he’d held it up, but a TMO decision changed that, giving the try to Mawi and Saracens. Advantage the hosts heading into the final half-hour.

Another HIA in the game, Leicester’s Olly Cracknell being replaced by future Saracen and second-row George Martin. It’s just Martin’s 3^rd game after 14 months out due to knee and shoulder injuries. Leicester had the momentum since that HIA, and it made Saracens crack, Calouri seeing himself brandished with a yellow card.

Just the Billy Searle penalty during it too, making up for his previous missed effort in the first half. Approaching 10 minutes remaining, Saracens led by 4 points and essentially their season on the line.

A final chaotic 5 mins ensured. A huge turnover won by Nick Tompkins gave Saracens the ball with just two minutes left, and went for the bonus point try, but Leicester had a turnover of their own, before a Saracens deliberate knock-on left them finishing the game with 14.

It ultimately didn’t matter however, as the hosts with yet another turnover gave them the win and four huge points to push for their playoff chance. Leicester stay 3^rd after the loss, but a losing bonus point will make them feel slightly comfortable in the playoff race, but far from safe.

15. Max Malins 14. Noah Calouri 13. Nick Tompkins 12. Olly Hartley 11. Rotimi Segun 10. Fergus Burke 9. Charlie Bracken 1. Rhys Carre 2. Jamie George 3. Marcus Street 4. Maro Itoje (Captain) 5. Hugh Tizard 6. Theo McFarland 7. Ben Earl 8. Tom Willis

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Theo Dan 17. Eroni Mawi 18. Marco Riccioni 19. Nick Isiekwe 20. Nathan Michelow 21. Ivan van Zyl 22. Owen Farrell 23. Lucio Cinti

15. Freddie Steward 14. Gabriel Hamer-Webb 13. Izaia Perese 12. Orlando Bailey 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins 10. Billy Searle 9. Jack van Poortvliet 1. Nicky Smith 2. Jamie Blamire 3. Joe Heyes 4. Cameron Henderson 5. Ollie Chessum (Captain) 6. Hanro Liebenberg 7. Joaquin Moro 8. Olly Cracknell

16. Charlie Clare 17. Archie van der Flier 18. Will Hurd 19. George Martin 20. Samuel Williams 21. Tom Whiteley 22. Will Wand 23. Adam Radwan

There was a lot of talk going into today about the two men who scored 5 tries last week- Noah Calouri and Gabriel Hamer-Webb. But the other two wingers stole the show, Rotimi Segun was instrumental in gaining hard yards for Saracens and was unlucky to not come away with a try after his performance. Ollie Hassel-Collins was also superb when it came to the high ball against the normally excellent ‘Air’ Calouri, and even finished off a routine Leicester try.

When Tom Willis went off with a HIA in the 8^th minute, a lot of Sarries fans would’ve been worried on how to replace him. But Michelow came through excellently, big carries gaining lots of yards and even popping up with quite a few turnovers, bright future.

Both Ben Earl and Maro Itoje both showed why England have provided them with so many caps. A crucial try-saving tackle from Itoje fired Saracens up and had that not happened, the result may have been very different. Ben Earl was brilliant at the back of the scrum and as usual, very good at the breakdown.

There were 3 yellow cards in the game, with a few silly decisions from the players. They may have done it on purpose, you’ll have to ask them, but they were fortunate that the other teams didn’t capitalise as much as they could’ve when they had the advantage. Could’ve changed the game.

That win is absolutely crucial for Saracens, who started the day 10 points behind Bristol Bears in 4^th place. Even though it wasn’t all five points, being 6 points away is much better than 10. There’s still a hill to climb to get into those playoffs, but the North London club have given themselves a good chance today.