Premiership: Saracens 24-10 Leicester Tigers

  • Published
Sean Maitland (centre)Image source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Sean Maitland extended Saracens' lead in the first half

Premiership

Saracens (17) 24

Tries: Wyles, Maitland, B Vunipola Cons: Farrell 3 Pens: Farrell

Leicester (3) 10

Tries: Catchpole Cons: Williams Pens: Williams

Premiership leaders Saracens beat Leicester Tigers at Allianz Park thanks to tries from Chris Wyles, Sean Maitland and Billy Vunipola.

Wyles opened the scoring with his fourth try in five games, before Owen Williams' penalty reduced the deficit.

Farrell's penalty and a good finish out wide from Maitland gave Saracens a comfortable 17-3 half-time lead.

Vunipola put the home side out of sight after the break, despite George Catchpole's late effort for the Tigers.

Leicester came into the game off the back of a 27-17 victory over last year's Champions Cup finalists Racing 92, but their mixed form in the Premiership continued.

They have conceded 24 tries away from home in the league this season and their defence leaked another when Wyles found his way through after only seven minutes.

Saracens looked in control from the outset despite missing influential lock Maro Itoje with a broken hand, and his place was filled superbly by Michael Rhodes.

Leicester made far too many handling errors and only got into their stride late on when Mako Vunipola was sent to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Freddie Burns.

They have not won on Saracens' turf since February 2012, while the home side have not been beaten at Allianz Park since March.

Image source, Rex Features
Image caption,

South African flanker Michael Rhodes signed a new contract with Saracens in August

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: "It was massively frustrating the bonus points didn't come.

"In the first half we showed some really good signs about how good we can be and the standards we want to achieve. We attacked really well. We made a couple of errors along the way, but they were forced by Leicester's defence.

"It's a big lesson for us because we didn't get the job done that we wanted to. We spent the last 15-20 minutes defending which is not what we wanted to do.

"We should have got five points and it's frustrating that we didn't."

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill: "I'm pleased we stayed in the battle and were playing for the bonus point in the end, but the first half was difficult for us and they controlled the game well.

"At 24-3 down we had nothing else but to throw the kitchen sink at them. We did that and stopped them getting their bonus point.

"We can build on that spirit and effort, but it was still disappointing."

Saracens: Goode; Maitland, Tompkins, Barritt (capt), Wyles; Farrell, Spencer; M Vunipola, George, Figallo, Rhodes, Hamilton, Wray, Burger, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Brits, Barrington, Du Plessis, Flanagan, Brown, Wigglesworth, Lozowski, Bosch.

Leicester: Tait; Thompstone, Betham, Roberts, Pietersen; O Williams, B Youngs; Ayerza, T Youngs (capt), Cole, Slater, Fitzgerald, O'Connor, McCaffrey.

Replacements: McGuigan, Genge, Mulipola, Hamilton, Evans, Harrison, Burns, Catchpole.

Referee: Wayne Barnes.

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