A rampant Leicester side strengthened their grip on the Zurich Premiership
top-spot with a scintillating performance at Welford Road on Saturday afternoon.
Saracens were ground into submission by a marauding Tigers pack which
presented the home side's three-quarters with a flood of quality possession.
The game had been viewed as a potential firecracker after Leicester skipper
Martin Johnson was handed a 35-day ban for a challenge on Duncan McRae when the
two sides met in their Tetley's Bitter Cup quarter-final last December.
But the anticipated grudge match failed to materialise as the midlanders piled
further misery onto the big-spending Londoners who had such high hopes at the
start of the season.
At times Leicester's handling was breathtaking with lightening-fast Irish
full-back Geordan Murphy improving his already strong claims for a national
call-up by grabbing a quartet of tries.
But Johnson was the hero of the afternoon, leading from the front and helping
to create the platform which saw the second-half floodgates cast wide open as
chants of "easy, easy" sounded from delirious Tigers fans.
Winger Tim Stimpson was in inspired form with the boot, finishing the game
with a 31-point haul - a tally which included two tries.
The game exploded into life as Leicester launched a series of attacks which
swept them deep into Saracens' half.
Johnson led the charge and after several phases of possession, the ball was
worked to Murphy who was hauled down just metres short of the visitors' try
line.
Saracens responded in the ninth minute with a quickfire offensive that almost
saw Australian Tim Horan charge over.
But he did not have the pace to outstrip the Leicester cover and the
ubiquitous Austin Healey cleared the ball away from danger.
The Vicarage Road outfit were not to be denied two minutes later, however, as
winger Richard Haughton scooped up a Brett Sparg chip and tumbled over for a try
improved by McRae.
Stimpson slotted over a penalty for Leicester and moments later the midlanders
took the lead when a sweeping move which started from deep in their own half was
concluded with Murphy touching down.
Stimpson added the conversion to notch-up his 1,000th league point, but McRae
levelled the score with a sweetly-struck drop-goal.
The Tigers began to dominate as the half wore-on and by the 35th minute they
were in full control, initiating a series of forays into the Saracens' half.
The pressure took its toll on the visitors with Stimpson nudging over two
penalties in quick succession.
Two minutes before the break Saracens' winger Darragh O'Mahony scored a try
against the run of play before Murphy touched down on the stroke of half time
after a fine break from centre Pat Howard.
Stimpson added the two points to give Leicester a 23-15 interval lead.
The visitors came out with all guns blazing in the second half, but their
efforts amounted to nothing as McRae missed three easy penalties in quick
succession.
Leicester weathered the storm and then surged forward thanks to some supreme
handling from the three-quarters.
Substitute Adam Balding was sinbinned in the 55th minute for a professional
foul close to the Saracens' line, but this just seemed to spur the Tigers on and
two minutes later prop Darren Garforth scampered over.
Stimpson added the conversion before sprinting over for a five pointer of his
own which he failed to improve.
Murphy claimed his third try and then notched-up his fourth in the 35th
minute. Stimpson slotted over both conversions and touched down for a five
pointer with a minute to go.
Inevitably, the ensuing conversion sailed over for the last score of a match
Saracens will want to forget.
Teams:
Leicester: Murphy, Tuilagi, Lloyd, Howard, Stimpson,
Goode,
Healey, Rowntree, West, Garforth, M. Johnson, Kay, W. Johnson,
Moody, Corry.
Replacements: Hamilton for Goode (65),
Gelderbloom for Healey (76), Jelley for Rowntree (67),
Cockerill for West (67), Nebbett for Garforth (76),
Balding for W. Johnson (50), Gustard for Corry (72).
Tries: Murphy 4, Garforth, Stimpson 2.
Cons: Stimpson 6.
Pens: Stimpson 3.
Saracens: Sparg, Haughton, Horan, Sorrell, O'Mahony, McRae,
Walshe, Bracken, Cairns, White, Murray, Grewcock, Chesney,
Hill, Diprose.
Replacements: Roche for Chesney (61), Roques for Diprose (64).
Not Used: Parkes, Harbut, Davison, Trueman, Hampson.
Tries: Haughton, O'Mahony.
Cons: McRae.
Drop Goals: McRae.
Att: 14,212
Ref: Chris White (RFU).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook