The Prem

Leicester (12) 38

Tries: Kata, Hamer-Webb 3, Radwan, Thompson Cons: Searle 4

Saracens (21) 40

Tries: Gonzalez, Elliott, Daly, Earl, Segun 2 Cons: Burke 5

Saracens overcame a second-half red card for Nick Isiekwe to begin the Brendan Venter era with a seesaw 40-38 win at Leicester Tigers.

Two tries from wing Rotimi Segun with Sarries short-handed saw the visitors prevail in a breathless 12-try affair at Welford Road.

Gabriel Hamer-Webb scored a hat-trick for Leicester, but it was to no avail as Venter’s second stint in charge at Saracens got away to the perfect start.

Venter’s colourful first spell in charge brought a series of disciplinary run-ins, but set the foundations for the success that followed under Mark McCall.

The loss of Isiekwe in the 54th minute for a 20-minute high tackle on Freddie Steward looked like it could be crucial as the Tigers took the lead for the first time through Adam Radwan’s try.

Sarries were back up to 15 when Eoghan Clarke replaced Isiekwe after his 20-minute punishment was up, but by this time Segun had already restored their lead and they held on to win.

It was the fourth away win out of five on the opening weekend of The Prem season and the resilience Saracens showed in clinching it bodes well for the campaign ahead.

They have not made the play-offs for the past two seasons but they have made some smart signings over the summer, including Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams, who was man of the match.

Saracens got out of the blocks fast with two converted tries in the opening 10 minutes from Argentina flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez – making his 50th league appearance – and Tobias Elliott.

Leicester hit back with two of their own from the powerful Solomone Kata, who shrugged off Elliott’s attempted tackle, and Hamer-Webb after a lovely ball by Steward.

With Saracens employing a 6-2 bench split, the loss of centre Olly Hartley early on to an arm injury and the temporary removal of Tobias Elliott to an HIA, meant England flanker Ben Earl was sent on as a centre.

But it made little difference to Saracens’ fluid attack with Elliot Daly, back after a broken arm, crossing out on the left after some lovely interplay.

Leicester responded in the second half with two more tries from Hamer-Webb, both involving impressive new signing Aaron Wainwright in the build-up.

In between Earl, in a more familiar back row role after the withdrawal of Alfie Barbeary at half-time, thundered over for Saracens from Williams’ flat pass.

Leicester took the lead after a nice piece of vision from scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet with a deft chip through for Radwan to score. And as Billy Searle was lining up the conversion, referee Ian Tempest reached for a 20-minute red card after Isiekwe’s shot on Steward in the build-up.

But 14-man Saracens regained the lead with a try from wing Segun after a pinpoint cross-kick by Daly, and after Leicester replacement James Thompson had burrowed over to restore the Tigers lead, Segun struck again wide out on the left with seven minutes left.

Leicester: Steward; Radwan, Kata, Woodward, Hamer-Webb; Searle, van Poortvliet (capt); Vunipola, Moli, Heyes, Carnduff, Henderson, Wainwright, Reffell, Cracknell.

Replacements: Thunder, Haffar, Hurd, Thompson, Moro, Whiteley, Bailey, Hassell-Collins.

Saracens: Daly; Elliott, Tompkins, Hartley, Segun; Burke, Williams; Mawi, Dan, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, Isiekwe, Gonzalez, Barbeary.

Replacements: Clarke, Brantingham, Clarey, Sodeke, Michelow, Earl, C Bracken, Malins.

Referee: Ian Tempest