Michael Cheika’s tenure at Leicester is just six matches old but a statement victory such as this suggests the Tigers’ faithful can dream again. They went toe-to-toe with Saracens, who have set the pace so far in the Premiership this season, and displayed the trademark stubbornness of any Cheika side by the bucketload to clinch a first win here in six and a half years.
They scored four tries – so too did Saracens – and while the hosts were missing seven players who were away with England, the Tigers themselves were without five for the same reason. It made for an enthralling, frenetic encounter, shorn of star English names, but high on thrills and spills. For Leicester, the Australian centre Izaia Perese was outstanding and the collective effort from the forwards will have had Cheika purring. For the hosts, Tom Willis has somehow upped his efforts after his England snub. He did not deserve to end up on the losing side but you sense these two teams may meet again at the business end of the season.
