Tom Varndell's injury-time touchdown finally sealed the deal for the superior Tigers team after an infield Sarries pass hit a head before a Leicester boot hacked the ball over the try line. Dan Scarbrough looked to have won the race to touch down, but as he went to play the ball he slipped over, allowing the league's top try scorer to pounce.

Up to that point, Saracens made a game of what was, in terms of territory and possession at least, a one-sided affair as the home pack dominated at the scrum and in the loose.

So it was surprising that, very much against the run of play, Sarries went into half time of this game - a milestone for Kris Chesney who set a new Premiership appearance record of 194 - 13-9 ahead as Scarbrough squeezed in at the left hand corner following an Andy Farrell surge up the left. Glen Jackson converted from the touchline, adding to his two earlier penalty goals.

Leicester coach Richard Cockerill, who was bouncing around the Crumbie stand like a kid whose dad had taken away his ball every time a decision went against his side, obviously read the riot act to them at the break as they threw everything - kitchen sink, draining board, taps, plug, Cockerill's dummy, the lot - at Sarries and were rewarded with 17 points in the opening 18 minutes of the second period.

Two tries came from the big backs Rabeni and Tuilagi  - who was guilty of butchering at least two further Tigers chances due to his dreadful handling - and it looked like the Tigers would press on and win with ease. To their credit Saracens, living of scraps throughout, fashioned the try of the match as Brent Russell rounded off a marvellous first-phase move from a line-out 40m from the Tigers line. Jackson added the extras to make it 26-20 and then a penalty to narrow the gap to three.

That was as close as Sarries came as Andy Goode, who scored 21 points on the day to take him to the top of the all-time Premiership scoring rankings, kicked a penalty three minutes from the end before Varndell's effort took away the bonus point.

Leicester: J Murphy; T Varndell, D Hipkiss, S Rabeni, A Tuilagi; A Goode, H Ellis; M Ayerza (B Stankovic 19min), M Davies (B Kayser 57min), J White, L Deacon, M Corry (capt) (G Gillanders 80min), B Deacon, B Pinaar, J Crane.
 

Saracens: B Russell; R Haughton (R Penney 5min), D Scarbrough, A Farrell, K Ratuvou; G Jackson, N de Kock (capt) (M Rauluni 62min); N Lloyd, A Kyriacou (M Cairns 60min), C Johnston (C Viasagi 40-64min), C Jack, H Vyvyan, K Chesney, R Hill, B Skirving.
 

Yellow card: Leicester: J Crane 29min
 

Scorers: Leicester: Tries: Rabeni, Tuilagi, Varndell Cons: Goode (2) Pens: Goode (4) DG: Goode. Saracens: Tries: Scarbrough, Russell. Cons: Jackson (2) Pens: Jackson (3)
 

Referee: Sean Davey

Attendance: 17,071

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