Brace: David Strettle
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A second-half resurgence from Saracens handed the 2011 Premiership champions a 27-32 victory over Leicester at Welford Road.
Trailing 17-6 at half time, Saracens scored four tries in a one-sided second-half to stay in second place in the Aviva Premiership.
It was their fourth successive win at Leicester, who have suffered two successive defeats having lost at champions Harlequins last week.
Saracens' tries came from wingers David Strettle (two), James Short and full-back Chris Wyles, with fly half Charlie Hodgson kicking 12 points.
Julian Salvi and Dan Bowden scored for Leicester, who were also awarded a penalty try right on full-time when Strettle deliberately knocked on and was sin binned.
Both sides were heavily depleted due to the Six Nations but the Tigers, whose five-match winning run in the Premiership was ended by the Quins last week, were boosted by the return from injury of captain Geordan Murphy and England flanker Tom Croft in front of a 20,000 crowd.
The sides, second and third in the table, drew 9-9 at Wembley in round three but Saracens made a fine start as former England fly-half Charlie Hodgson gave them the lead with a fourth-minute penalty.
Leicester then started to take control and young fly-half George Ford, who is expected to join Bath next season, caused major problems for the Saracens defence with passes that put both Murphy and winger Scott Hamilton through holes.
Ford, however, had left his kicking boots at home and missed relatively easy penalties in the seventh and 17th minutes before finally equalising with one from bang in front of the posts.
Saracens' best moments came at the start of the second quarter when full-back Chris Wyles and centre Joel Tomkins combined well down the right, before winger James Short sparked a fine counter-attack from a quick throw-in.
They failed to rattle the scoreboard though and in the 29th minute found themselves 10-3 down after great work by number eight Jordan Crane in winning a loose ball on half way and Ford, whose kick to the corner earned Leicester a line-out.
It led to the first try of the match, for flanker Salvi after giant prop Logovi'i Mulipola's charge to the line and Ford added the conversion to make it 10-3.
That became 17-3 three minutes later when centre Bowden scored from Ford's brilliant chip after a searing counter-attack by the lively Murphy and winger Adam Thompstone.
Ford kicked the conversion before Hodgson pulled three points back for Saracens with a 36th-minute penalty.
Both sides kicked too much at the start of the second half as the snow continued to fall and while Saracens upped their game they found Leicester's defence rock solid until Strettle produced a bit of magic from a ruck in the 53rd minute.
The try and Hodgson's conversion put Saracens right back in the game at 17-13 and when Short shrugged off a couple of tackles on the right to score a fine solo try three minutes later Saracens took the lead again, leaving the crowd stunned.
Hodgson missed the conversion but 12 points in 16 minutes had given Saracens the momentum.
They then scored their third try two minutes later when Strettle scampered over for his second try after great work by replacement scrum-half Neil de Kock. Hodgson added the conversion to put them 25-17 ahead.
Ford reduced the arrears to five points with a 72nd-minute penalty but Saracens full-back Wyles made the game safe with his side's bonus point try six minutes from time. Hodgson added the conversion.
Leicester were awarded a penalty try at the death after Strettle was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on, with Ford kicking the conversion.
The scorers:
For Leicester:
Tries: Salvi, Bowden, Penalty
Cons: Ford 3
Pens: Ford 2
For Saracens:
Tries: Strettle 2, Short, Wyles
Cons: Hodgson 3
Pens: Hodgson 2
Yellow Cards: Strettle, Taylor
The teams:
Leicester Tigers: 15 Geordan Murphy (c), 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Dan Bowden, 11 Adam Thompstone, 10 George Ford, 9 Sam Harrison, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 2 Rob Hawkins, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Kieran Brookes, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Brett Deacon, 20 Richard Thorpe, 21 Micky Young, 22 Matt Cornwell, 23 Mathew Tait.
Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 James Short, 13 Joel Tomkins, 12 Adam Powell, 11 David Strettle, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Rhys Gill.
Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Nick Auterac, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 George Kruis, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Nils Mordt, 23 Duncan Taylor.
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Nigel Carrick
Timekeeper: Brian Abrahams
Television match official: Graham Hughes
Assessor: Clive Leeke
Comments
kybone says...
Warrior7- Yes i am a DK fan mate, but i haven't actually seen either of those two lads yet as i didn't go to the last home game. Our next home game is in 2 weeks time and, if i remember, i will let you know how they get on.
Posted 20:49 24th February 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
Kid-D: did you watch the last Sarries Tigers game? 9 all. Deadly. Inspired scheduling I think although this game seems to have been better. Anyhow.... Never thought I would say this. Italy games have introduced some of our best attacking back three players. Strettle is putting his hand up to start with Wade. Brown needs to be 15. I don't have the selection certain in my mind but we have to make changes here. We have no Robinsons or Lewseys waiting but Wade and Varndell and Biggs and Strettle and Foden need looking at as options as wings for Italy. Got to get some strike power out wide. And speed. Ashton couldn't catch Fofana or any of the French (or Scotish) back 3.
Posted 17:57 24th February 2013
lawynd says...
Leicester were woeful in the second half and deserved the loss. That said, JP Doyle needs to be told that it's ok to show a yellow card when it will make a difference, not at the end of the game once a team has already secured the victory. Strettle might have bagged a brace but his disgusting cheating right at the death means I never, ever want to see him in an England shirt again.
Posted 17:02 24th February 2013
Warrior7 says...
kybone - Its a bit off topic on this article but I saw on another you said you were a DK fan, I was wondering how Josh Watkins and Josh Buggea have been getting on at Doncaster on loan (two young Worcester lads).
Also interesting to see some tries in english rugby this weekend, Prem is getting hot at the moment.
Posted 16:25 24th February 2013
kybone says...
Kid_Diablo- Not sure about the tv audience, but there were still almost 21,000 at the game, to see two sides shorn of their best players.
melkdave- You've already commented on both yesterdays 6N games, at least one S15 game, and this game, and seem to know how they went. Do you watch every televised game in the world?
Posted 10:31 24th February 2013
melkdave says...
A very good hard fought match imo.
Posted 00:40 24th February 2013
Kid_Diablo says...
As a non-englishman this seems like a serious scheduling mistake. Even before the start of the season you would expect both these teams to be near the top so surely it would be unwise to put this match in the middle of the 6N when both teams are missing a lot of internationals, this game could have drawn a lot of tv viewers if left till a week or two before the end of the regular season.
Posted 00:26 24th February 2013