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Warm spring afternoons at the StoneX Stadium have historically ended with Saracens thrashing their play-off opponents to secure a spot at Twickenham. They may not be the dominant force of old, but Mark McCall’s men still do a good line in defiance and urinating on bonfires.
Here, the home side survived late drama to deal Leicester Tigers a first league defeat of 2026. Saracens offered bright hope for the future as well, and not just by keeping alive their slim hopes of crashing the top four.
Although Ben Earl and Maro Itoje were influential, the 22-year-old Charlie Bracken brought verve and accuracy at scrum half. Teenage tyro Noah Caluori followed five tries against Sale Sharks with more extraordinary moments, too. His senior England debut is surely a matter of when and against whom, rather than if.
Tigers, less incisive than they have been lately, rued a missed opportunity to push for a home semi-final. In the 81st minute, they coughed up one last chance to snatch victory against 14 players. “Fair play to Saracens for hustling,” a frustrated Geoff Parling said. “But we’ve got to look at ourselves.”
McCall noted the signings that have been made for next season, with Saracens due to welcome George Martin, Alfie Barbeary and Tomos Williams. This campaign is not over for them either. Indeed, Saracens have impetus heading into May.
“We showed the fight and the grit that we’ve been lacking a couple of times this season,” McCall said, with a gigantic encounter against Bristol Bears in a fortnight. “[Now] we need teams at the bottom to do us a favour, so let’s see. It’s not in our hands but we are in control of what we do.”
Joaquín Moro pounced for an early turnover but could not plug a gap close to the ruck before Saracens’ opener. Bracken, son of the former England No9 Kyran, lifted a deft pass and Olly Hartley stormed into space, hitch-kicking and stepping past defenders on his surge under the posts.
Hassell-Collins crosses for Leicester but they were unable to complete a comeback against 14 menPeter Nicholls/Getty Images
The first astounding intervention from Caluori arrived when Billy Searle targeted Max Malins by hanging a free kick for Freddie Steward to chase. Caluori turned from the wing and bound into the air. Steward had climbed above Malins but Caluori rose even higher, plucking the ball out of the England full back’s blind spot.
Leicester, reaping the rewards of their superior scrummaging, drew level when Steward cut a cute angle off Searle’s left shoulder. There were two lively fly halves on show and Fergus Burke’s break then put Tigers in a spot of bother. Izaia Perese retreated to shackle Malins, yet collared Bracken from an offside position. Karl Dickson punished the Australian centre with a yellow card.
Understaffed from a centre-field scrum, Leicester made themselves vulnerable. Bracken wrapped Nick Tompkins to feed Caluori, who chipped over Steward and jumped from outside the touchline to regather. On landing, he was strong enough to stave off Ollie Hassell-Collins. His formidable highlight reel has another entry.
Saracens still boast a strong squad and were looking close to the sum of their considerable parts with Bracken and Burke on the front foot and offloads sticking. Nathan Michelow deserves credit for the manner in which he deputised for Tom Willis after the latter failed a head injury assessment.
However, Tigers struck next. Joe Heyes, who has always been a skilful passer, freed Olly Cracknell to fashion the initial break before the ball was worked left to Hassell-Collins. Five minutes before half-time, Saracens supporters were singing “Oh, Noah Caluori” to the tune of the chant usually reserved for Itoje. Replays picked up Hartley’s knock-on, however, and Caluori’s second was scrubbed off.
Tompkins, of Saracens, tries to take evasive actionPeter Nicholls/Getty Images
Tigers would have been in front at the break had Searle not missed from the tee. When play resumed, last-ditch defence from Rotimi Segun and Itoje was required to deny Jamie Blamire.
Steward had vowed to be rough with Caluori, but this strategy backfired when Hassell-Collins was penalised for dragging down his opposite man. Eroni Mawi shunted over and Burke’s conversion gave Saracens a seven-point advantage.
With about 25 minutes remaining, Martin was brought off the Leicester bench and Caluori was sent to the sin-bin for darting in at the side of a runaway maul. Amid an error-strewn spell, Searle converted a penalty to set up a nervy finale.
Tompkins, bustling away in the Saracens midfield, produced a trademark turnover in the 78th minute. That looked to be game over, but Ollie Chessum whacked Marco Riccioni while Saracens were attempting to run down the clock. Tigers spread the ball and Lucio Cinti flapped at a desperate offload from Hassell-Collins, seeing yellow. Leicester, however, did not capitalise and Exeter Chiefs could now leap-frog them into third by beating Gloucester on Sunday.
Scorers: Saracens: Tries Hartley (5min), Caluori (21), Mawi (49). Cons Burke 2. Leicester Tigers: Tries: Steward (11), Hassell-Collins (32). Con Searle. Pen Searle (66).
Saracens M Malins; N Caluori (sin-bin 60min), N Tompkins, O Hartley (L Cinti 72, sin-bin 80), R Segun; F Burke (O Farrell 58), C Bracken (I van Zyl 79); R Carré (E Mawi 43), J George (T Dan 58), M Street (M Riccioni 52), M Itoje, H Tizard (N Isiekwe 65), T McFarland, B Earl, T Willis (N Michelow 11).
Leicester Tigers: F Steward; G Hamer-Webb (A Radwan 50), I Perese (sin-bin 15; W Wand 50), O Bailey, O Hassell-Collins; B Searle, J van Poortvliet (T Whiteley 71); N Smith (A van der Flier 50), J Blamire (C Clare 64), J Heyes (W Hurd 50), C Henderson (S Williams 62), O Chessum, H Liebenberg, J Moro, O Cracknell (G Martin 55).
Referee K Dickson.