Leicester’s all-English back line smash sorry Saracens

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On a frozen Leicester night, bringing down the curtain on a chilly festive period that left referee Matthew Carley requiring gloves to stay warm, one might have been forgiven for thinking that the Tigers would stick to tradition and grind out a performance of grit and gumption in front of a sold-out Welford Road. Think again.

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This handsome Leicester victory, with a bonus point sewn up before half-time, owed as much to the artists behind the pack as the artisans within it. Billy Searle and Will Wand were wonderful for Leicester in that punchy first-half showing but Freddie Steward, Adam Radwan – scorers of three Tigers tries between them – and Ollie Hassell-Collins all played their part, too. Jack van Poortvliet, on his first start since October, was sharp at scrum-half and Orlando Bailey, one of English rugby’s forgotten prospects, had his best game in a Leicester shirt at inside centre. Wand, certainly, was the best player on the park in the opening 40 minutes but the return of Emeka Ilione, the back row on England’s radar, gave the centre stiff competition after half-time.

All this with the Tigers missing front-line midfielders James O’Connor, Solomone Kata, Joseph Woodward and Izaia Perese, who dropped out on the day of the match. Maybe someone had told the all-English back line pre-match that Lee Blackett, England’s attack coach, was among the East Midlands crowd.

That back line’s opposing numbers, littered with internationals, certainly did not seem as though they were aware. Elliot Daly and Max Malins looked shaky in the Saracens back three while Nick Tompkins and Lucio Cinti were at sixes and sevens in the midfield for most of the match. Ivan van Zyl threw an intercept to Radwan at a crucial juncture in the game and Fergus Burke was overshadowed by Searle. Other than that, Rotimi Segun showed moments of danger and dynamism but all of Saracens’ stand-outs were among their forward pack.

“It was a great win and a great result but there are still things to improve,” said Geoff Parling, Leicester head coach. “But we moved the ball well. Billy Searle looked like a true Tigers 10 at the end, coming off with what looked like a broken nose. He has grown and grown. We do not make a big thing out of our injuries but we just get the next man to step up and rip in, which they have done.

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“I’m just really proud of the heart and the effort we showed. That was a very good Sarries team. I looked beforehand and they were the bookies favourites. I’m very pleased with the five points.”

Leicester now find themselves just two points off the top four and Saracens’ four-try bonus point, sealed late on by Malins after earlier tries from three forwards – Theo McFarland, the mighty Rhys Carre and the irrepressible Juan-Martin González off the bench – means that they are a further four points behind the Tigers. The visitors’ heart was not in question as they fought admirably for a consolation point – Tom Willis, as ever, at the forefront - but their attacking accuracy and intent, at times, left a lot to be desired. Saracens have not won consecutive away matches in the Prem since May 2024 and the inconsistency is killing them.

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“The bonus point was not really a consolation,” said Mark McCall, Saracens’ director of rugby. “There were some aspects of the second half which I liked but you cannot turn up to this place against Leicester and have the attitude that we had in the first 15, 20 minutes. It wasn’t everyone but it doesn’t take very many to be off it attitude-wise for others to suffer. We were second best when it came to the big physical things in the first half and I wish I knew why.”

Leicester raced into a 14-point lead with tries from Steward, off a dainty Searle chip, and Olly Cracknell before Theo McFarland pulled one back for Saracens – down to 14 after a Daly yellow – from close range. Radwan finished off a sweeping Leicester attack for his first before Joe Heyes trundled over from close range just before half-time to secure Leicester’s bonus point.

The visitors improved in the second half, crossing three times, but Radwan’s interception took the game away from Saracens. Searle’s penalty, before his late sin-binning, put the result beyond doubt before a final Saracens flourish.

04:59pm

Full-time: LEI 36 SAR 28

Saracens cannot do it from their own 22 and, after a Leicester scrum, Allan boots the ball out for full time.

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Job done for Leicester, the full five points. Saracens were second best but will take a consolation four-try bonus back to London.

The Tigers are now two points off fourth, with today’s visitors four points further back.

04:57pm

CON BURKE: LEI 36 SAR 28

The conversion is good and Saracens will have one last chance for a second point.

04:56pm

TRY BRACKEN: LEI 36 SAR 26

They have done it! But they made a bit of a meal of it. Leicester’s defence was phenomenal in pushing Saracens back to near halfway but then Malins broke clear and fed Bracken inside to scamper over.

They will have one last chance for a second losing bonus.

04:54pm

YELLOW CARD SEARLE: LEI 36 SAR 21

Searle not rolling away, and Saracens go to the corner with two minutes to play. One try needed for the four-score bonus.

04:53pm

77 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Saracens gave it a good old lash with Onyeama-Christie making ground down the left but Lozowski’s pass in midfield is to no one and Leicester reclaim possession.

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The Tigers cannot clear, though, so Saracens will have one last go...

04:51pm

75 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Saracens might have one last throw of the dice for a losing bonus point here, with a scrum just outside their own 22 after a sloppy attack of theirs ended with Bailey knocking on a loose ball.

Allan is on for Van Poortvliet for Leicester.

04:49pm

74 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Tigers muck up their line-out and Saracens kick a penalty to the corner, only for Ilione to come up with a monster ruck turnover. He has had a fabulous half in his first action since October.

04:47pm

72 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Leicester go to the corner and throw in but are instantly penalised for blocking at the line-out maul.

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Saracens go back on the offensive - one try for a bonus point - but Segun has shelled another. Admittedly, last time, it was not exactly his fault.

04:45pm

70 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Ilione picks from the base of the scrum and does excellently well to give Van Poortvliet a platform to clear. It’s not in touch, however, and Malins comes back, but the ball goes loose and Leicester hack upfield.

Daly attempts the counter but his pass to Segun is a bit of a shocker - that sort of sums up Saracens’ accuracy in the backs tonight.

There’s a bit of afters and handbags - and Lozowski is penalised for decking Searle for no reason. Brainless.

04:42pm

69 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

No try. Correctly from Carley, it looks like. Gonzalez did knock on after, it must be said, a rampaging carry. He has added something, as expected, since coming on.

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Leicester restart with a scrum five metres out from their own line.

04:41pm

69 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Malins has dotted down here but the ball seemed to go forward to him from Gonzalez.

We are going upstairs... this looks tight.

04:40pm

69 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Scrum penalty to Saracens! Daly gives them a line-out just inside the Leicester 22.

Segun with an almighty burst first phase off the back of the line-out. They are purring here...

04:38pm

Radwan’s intercept

04:38pm

67 mins: LEI 36 SAR 21

Leicester slow it down, which suits them with this lead, but Hamer-Webb knocks on attempting to collect a Van Poortvliet box-kick so we will restart with a scrum on halfway.

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Hurd and Moro are both on for the Tigers. Lozowski also for Saracens.

04:35pm

CON BURKE: LEI 36 SAR 21

A cracking conversion from Burke, wide on the left, and the deficit is back to 15.

04:34pm

TRY GONZALEZ: LEI 36 SAR 19

Saracens, to their credit, are not lying down. At the very least there is a realistic prospect of two bonus point, if they cannot pull off the miraculous. Gonzalez crashes over from close range.

04:33pm

Carre’s score

04:32pm

63 mins: LEI 36 SAR 14

Chessum catches Dan a bit high and Saracens have the penalty. This will go into the corner.

Meanwhile, Smith and Blamire are off and Clare and Haffar are on. Blamire has been playing some very decent stuff of late.

04:30pm

CON SEARLE: LEI 36 SAR 14

Another sweet strike from Searle. That feels like the ball game. That said, there are still 20 minutes to play.

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Onyeama-Christie and Hamer-Webb are both on for their respecxtive sides.

04:29pm

TRY RADWAN: LEI 34 14 SAR

The wing does get his second. Van Zyl looks to exploit an under-resourced Saracens blindside but Radwan intercepts and there is no one stopping him, not even Daly at full flight, on the angle.

04:27pm

58 mins: LEI 29 14 SAR

The attack comes to nothing for Leicester as Saracens pile into a counter-ruck and the Tigers compound the error by giving away an offside penalty.

Saracens will throw in just outside the Tigers’ 22... but they have lost it again.

04:25pm

56 mins: LEI 29 14 SAR

After starting the half well, Saracens are having a bit of a wobble here. Van Poortvliet puts the ball in the air and Leicester win a penalty for a McFarland escort line.

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Searle goes to the corner.

04:24pm

PEN SEARLE: LEI 29 SAR 14

Fifteen points the lead now for Leicester. Over two scores.

04:23pm

55 mins: LEI 26 SAR 14

Burke clears his lines with a bomb but the whole back division is offside and Searle will have a chance to restore a healthy cushion for the Tigers.

04:21pm

CON BURKE: LEI 26 SAR 14

The deficit is now 12 for Saracens. Game on.

04:21pm

TRY CARRE: LEI 26 SAR 12

The Welsh loosehead gets over from close range. A lifeline!

Street, Mawi and Gonzalez all arrive for Saracens.

04:20pm

52 mins: LEI 26 SAR 7

Leicester are leaking a few penalties here, for an Ilione not release and a side entry at the maul. Saracens, not entirely under control, go back to the corner... this is a crucial passage.

04:18pm

50 mins: LEI 26 SAR 7

Steward rises highest for a steepling Van Zyl box-kick and appears to tap the ball backwards but Carley thinks it travels forward. Not sure about that one, but we restart with a Saracens scrum just inside their own half.

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Penalty to the visitors! The right call from Carley, but there was a collapse before that which quite easily could have gone the other way.

Saracens go to the corner.

04:14pm

47 mins: LEI 26 SAR 7

Saracens win another penalty in the Leicester 22 and choose to tap, but there’s a breakdown in communication between |Dan and Carre and Leicester escape with the ball.

Van Poortvliet thumps the ball clear but Leicester pinch the line-out and they are off again! Steward gets on the outside and only a mis-kick from Hassell-Collins prevents another Tigers try.

04:11pm

44 mins: LEI 26 SAR 7

Penalty to Saracens for Smith offside but it actually looks as though he was injured. Unlucky!

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Nonetheless, Saracens kick into the corner - and it’s a great touch-finder from Daly.

04:09pm

42 mins: LEI 26 SAR 7

That is a shame for Radwan and a lifeline for Saracens. Ilione punches up the middle, Van Poortvliet fumbles at the base but feeds Radwan and the week skates away from Riccioni and the Saracens cover to score.

Sadly for Leicester, Van Poortvliet knocked on.

04:07pm

Kick-off

Searle gets us back under way. Ilione is on for Cracknell for Leicester.

04:06pm

The teams are back out for the second half

Can Saracens stage a famous comeback? They have it all to do.

03:57pm

Leicester’s third and fourth

03:56pm

Half-time: LEI 26 SAR 7

You know how I said pre-match that I thought it would be close? So far, I have been wrong.

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Leicester have been better than expected - in attack, especially, given their midfield injuries - while Saracens have been massively off it. The visitors have looked really rattled and, perhaps, can count themselves lucky that the deficit is only 19 points. Still, if they get a rocket at half-time, this lead is not insurmountable.

03:53pm

CON SEARLE: LEI 26 SAR 7

The conversion is good and what a half-time lead that is for the Tigers.

Exactly what Geoff Parling would have wanted after quite a limp performance at Exeter last week.

03:51pm

TRY HEYES: LEI 24 SAR 7

Blamire, Wand and Chessum all played a part there - especially Blamire, who popped up twice with dynamic carries - but the England tighthead drives over from close range and Leicester have their bonus point!

03:49pm

38 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

It’s a penalty only for McFarland. The Crumbie terrace do not like it all too much but I think that is probably about right.

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Leicester attack on halfway but they under-resource a wide breakdown and Saracens win the turnover.

Incidentally, George and Isiekwe have both failed their HIAs so Dan and Itoje will be with us for the duration.

03:46pm

36 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

McFarland has caught Searle high - he’s been in the wars - and we have a bit of a scuffle. The fly-half was dropping but the referee might want to have a look at this.

We are going to the TMO...

03:45pm

36 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

Great maul defence from Saracens sees the visitors shove Leicester into touch and earn a throw for themselves.

But the line-out is all over the place and Chessum pinches it. The Tigers cannot do much with the possession, however, and Heyes ends up knocking after great Saracens line speed.

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The visitors put in on their own 10-metre line.

03:42pm

33 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

A handy kick from Steward puts Cinti under pressure in his own 22 and all Van Zyl can do is clear for a Leicester line-out on Saracens’ 22.

03:39pm

Saracens’ reply

03:38pm

Leicester’s second

03:38pm

30 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

Yep, held up. Saracens survive.

Dan and Itoje come on for George and Isiekwe respectively. Both look like either blood or HIA replacements.

03:37pm

30 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

Wand, having a stormer, thinks he’s over but it looked held-up live. Willis and McFarland did a sterling job.

We are going to the TMO...

03:35pm

30 mins: LEI 19 SAR 7

Saracens are in complete disarray here. Malins throws an absolute shocker of a pass to Earl, who is caught in midfield by Radwan. Wand jackals and that’s the second holding-on penalty that he has won.

03:33pm

YELLOW CARD DALY: LEI 19 SAR 7

The full-back has caught Searle very late there as he put the chip in for Radwan’s try and things go from bad to worse for Saracens.

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In the meantime, with Searle receiving treatment, Bailey has a stab at the conversion and misses.

The fly-half is back up on his feet now, though, and will stay on.

03:32pm

TRY RADWAN: LEI 19 SAR 7

Wow. Out of nothing, from their own 22!

Leicester shape to kick but Searle goes on the wrap-around. Tompkins drifts and Searle dummies through the hole.

The fly-half is away! He is one-on-one with Daly, grubbers in behind, and Radwan beats the covering defenders for pace to score.

03:30pm

25 mins: LEI 14 SAR 7

Bailey has a dart through half a gap before Hassell-Collins follows suit for Leicester. The Tigers are a little stranded on halfway, however, so Searle opts for the bomb. Charge-down! George is after this, the hooker hacking on but the ball goes dead in the foot race against Hassell-Collins.

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Leicester put in just outside their own 22.

03:26pm

CON BURKE: LEI 14 SAR 7

Much better from the Saracens fly-half. We are back to a one-score game.

03:26pm

TRY MCFARLAND: LEI 14 SAR 5

Saracens keep it tight and eventually McFarland powers his way over after Carre had taken the visitors to within a metre.

They needed that.

03:24pm

21 mins: LEI 14 SAR 0

A period of kick-tennis ends with Steward putting up the Garryowen, but McFarland does incredibly well to beat the full-back to the ball. And off go Saracens. Malins collects Van Zyl’s chip and Leicester are penalised for going off their feet and in at the side of a breakdown.

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The visitors stick it in the corner...

03:21pm

Steward’s opener

03:20pm

17 mins: LEI 14 SAR 0

Bailey gambles with the offload out of contact but it hands Saracens possession outside the Leicester 22. Riccioni carries again, but Wand gets over the ball to win the turnover.

03:19pm

16 mins: LEI 14 SAR 0

Saracens go to the corner. Isiekwe rises high to take possession. Riccioni carries with venom, before Blamire and Cracknell reply in kind in the tackle. The visitors look to move the ball wide but Daly cannot get past Hassell-Collins and Segun is slammed into touch.

Sturdy Tigers defence.

03:16pm

14 mins: LEI 14 SAR 0

Steward and Daly go up for a high ball and the former can only tap back to Searle, who attempts a risky run from his own 22. Blamire comes in at the side and it’s a Saracens penalty just outside the Leicester 22.

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Daly has stayed down after that competition with Steward and he looks in some discomfort.

03:15pm

CON SEARLE: LEI 14 SAR 0

A sweet strike from wide on the left and Leicester have a 14-point lead.

03:14pm

TRY CRACKNELL: LEI 12 SAR 0

The Wales No 8 crashes over from close range. That really was a bit soft around the fringes from Saracens.

03:13pm

11 mins: LEI 7 SAR 0

Leicester tap the penalty and keep it tight, after a bit of trickery. Heyes has a trundle, so too Smith and Cracknell, but Saracens are penalised for off feet.

The Tigers tap again.

03:12pm

11 mins: LEI 7 SAR 0

What a start this has turned into for Leicester. The Tigers get the upper hand at the scrum, they break open, and with Saracens drifting towards Radwan, Searle steps inside and dots down to beat Tompkins.

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Hang on, we are going upstairs. The TMO wants to check the grounding... Searle was short.

We go back for a Leicester scrum penalty.

03:09pm

8 mins: LEI 7 SAR 0

Searle is running the show here. It is only the fact that the ball was taken back into the Tigers half which robs him of a 50:22.

Saracens throw, in their own 22, over the top to Earl and Tompkins but it’s a mess and Blamire bundles the Wales centre back over his own line.

The Tigers put into the first scrum, five metres out.

03:06pm

CON SEARLE: LEI 7 SAR 0

The fly-half adds the extras and it’s a full seven-pointer for the hosts.

03:06pm

TRY STEWARD: LEI 5 SAR 0

Oh, Searle, that is sumptuous. With penalty advantage, the fly-half dinks a grubber in behind the Saracens defence and Steward hares after it to score. What a start for Leicester.

03:05pm

4 mins: LEI 0 SAR 0

A stunning take in the air from Steward, under pressure from Segun, claims possession for Leicester as both teams try and feel each other out.

But Leicester sniff a counter! Bailey feeds Radwan who beats Malins down the right, before Williams - on Prem debut - carries into the Saracens 22.

The Tigers are cooking here, with penalty advantage.

03:03pm

MISSED PEN BURKE

That is a bit of a shocker from the Saracens fly-half - it might come back to bite them.

03:02pm

1 min: LEI 0 SAR 0

A touch of kick-tennis to start proceedings before Saracens strike early! Leicester are poor at the clean-out and Carre, linked with Leicester next season, wins the holding-on penalty.

Van Zyl points at the sticks with just over a minute gone.

03:00pm

Kick-off!

Burke gets us under way at Mattioli Woods Welford Road!

02:58pm

Here come the teams

And kick-off is next!

A reminder of today’s line-ups.

Referee: Matthew Carley

02:55pm

Five minutes until kick-off here

Where is your money? The Saracens bench could be crucial but, equally, Leicester do not lose at home often. Perese, with Kata, Woodward and O’Connor all already missing from the midfield, is a massive loss. Almost a crisis, you’d say.

02:51pm

A fabulous back row

02:51pm

A late change to the teams!

Izaia Perese has dropped out of the No 13 jersey for Leicester, to be replaced by Will Wand. George Pearson takes Wand’s place on the bench.

02:50pm

Pre-match preamble

No Owen Farrell today for the visitors but there is still plenty of class and experience. Saracens have not won consecutive away matches in the Prem since May 2024 but, at the same time, Leicester’s only home loss in the league in 2025 was against today’s visitors - last March.

England attack coach Lee Blackett spotted in the crowd here. Elliot Daly, Ben Earl, Joe Heyes, Theo Dan, Ollie Chessum, Jack van Poortvliet and the Leicester wings will surely be under the microscope today.

02:32pm

Team news!

Ilione back for Leicester on the bench but look at who Saracens have among the replacements, a real all-star cast. Maro Itoje makes his first club appearance since October. Jack van Poortvliet starts for the Tigers for the first time since October, too.

Referee: Matthew Carley

02:21pm

Good afternoon!

Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of today’s Prem match between Leicester and Saracens at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

After a dramatic weekend of league action, today’s match could be the most critical of any in terms of the race to the top four. And yet, neither of these two sides, even with a bonus-point victory today, can finish the weekend in the play-off spots, but the victor will certainly remain in the hunt, pressurising the leading quartet.

Leicester return to their Welford Road fortress after a disappointing 24-10 defeat to high-flying Exeter brought their four-match win streak to an end, while Saracens, after three defeats on the bounce, defeated Gloucester at Kingsholm.

But, ahead of kick-off today, both teams sit seven points behind Bristol in fourth, after the Bears’ comeback victory against Sale on Friday night kept them in the play-off spots. Bonus-point wins for Bath and Northampton meant that they took control of the home play-off places while two losing bonus points for Exeter kept them third. In terms of those chasing the top four, this was not an auspicious weekend of results, with three teams claiming a maximum five points and another clinching two bonus points in defeat.

Still, both sides will fancy their chances in a game that, before kick-off, looks too close to call. Saracens may well have the edge among the replacements but Leicester, at home, should never be written off.

Indeed, that was the message from the visiting fly-half, Fergus Burke, this week.

“We know how difficult it is to go to Leicester and get a result,” Burke said. “They are physical, organised and very strong at home. We have taken confidence from last weekend but we will need to be even better to start the year the way we want to.”

All the confirmed line-ups and team news is next!

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