Billy Searle pulls the strings as Leicester prove too strong for Saracens

Leicester 36-28 Saracens
Tigers close gap on top four

The temperature was zero at kick-off but when the pluses and minuses were totted up, Leicester were comfortably in credit and Saracens were out in the cold. A clinical and cohesive performance by Geoff Parling’s Tigers has them looking upwards, contemplating the playoffs, while the Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall, must reflect on his team’s inconsistency. As the regular season reaches halfway this was a highly significant mid-table encounter: the Tigers in fifth, and sixth-placed Saracens still have ground to make up on the top four, but Leicester narrowed the gap with this accomplished win.

There were plenty of illustrious names on the teamsheet but it was Billy Searle, the home fly-half, whose headline-grabbing performance won him player of the match. At 29, Searle has already played for five different professional clubs in England and three in France. On this sparkling form you wonder why any of them let him go. Adam Radwan, meanwhile, is trying to force his way into the thinking of Steve Borthwick, the England head coach. The former Newcastle wing is increasingly adding power and perceptiveness to his prodigious pace. Performances this good will spark a conversation or two at Pennyhill Park.