Squinting into the bright midlands sunshine in the first half it was as if the clock had been rewound to another era entirely. Mike Brown playing with the exuberance of distant youth, Chris Ashton riding shotgun and Jimmy Gopperth, allegedly now 39, still making things tick in midfield. So much for the oval-shaped episode of Last of the Summer Wine we were all meant to be watching.
The illusion could not be sustained indefinitely but even a furious second-half revival from Saracens failed to ruin the distinctly old school vibe. While the Tigers may have fielded the oldest backline in Premiership history – average age 33 years and three months – they ultimately had too much early vim and vigour for the competition leaders, previously beaten only once in the league all season.
