Saracens beat Leicester in 12-try thriller despite Isiekwe red card
Brendan Venter's return as Saracens director of rugby began with a win at Welford Road, where Gabriel Hamer-Webb's hat-trick could not save Leicester.
Saracens beat Leicester at Welford Road in a 12-try match, and they did it after Nick Isiekwe was shown a 20-minute red card. It was the first game of Brendan Venter's return as director of rugby, after he took the job back from Mark McCall.
Saracens also lost Olly Hartley early to an arm injury and briefly used Ben Earl at centre. Gabriel Hamer-Webb scored a hat-trick for Leicester and still finished on the losing side. Tomos Williams played on debut for Saracens. The fixture paired the sides that finished fourth and fifth last season, and it went into a first weekend that produced a record 52 tries.
Someone from the Saracens camp explained afterwards how the team approached the red card and what the win was meant to show.
«You get hit with the 20-minute red at a place like this, if you want to be in the top four you have got to be able to keep your cool. We came for the win, to put a marker down on what our forward pack have been trying to do in the pre-season».
Venter had a history at this ground. Sixteen years ago he received a lengthy ban for gestures aimed at the Leicester supporters. At the final whistle this time he let out a roar.
If Saracens can keep this composure through the season, the pack's pre-season work may count for more than one result at Welford Road. Leicester, for their part, will want to know why they gave up the momentum so often.
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