By Ben Harman
June 2 2003

Perhaps this game more than any other will sum up the season of both teams. The Tigers as always tetchy and abrasive up front, but this term bereft of ideas behind the scrum. Saracens struggled for parity in the tight five exchanges and hence only managed to drip feed ball to their dangerous backs. In a fearsome battle lasting over 100 minutes it was testament to the character of both sides that it took until the seventh minute of the second half of extra time before the game was finally killed off. Neil Back spun out of Tony Roques tackle to score the Tigers second try, following the conversion Leicester eased 7 points into the lead and drained the last hopes of the Saracens players and fans for Heineken Cup rugby next year.

Saracens defence - which has been generous almost to a fault for much of the season - has turned miserly of late. In the face of an overwhelming 80 % possession for the Tigers in the first half, the Sarries defensive line held firm. Time after time Goode, Sorrell and Johnston battered the unimaginative Leicester midfield on or behind the gain line but by hook or by crook the ball always returned to the midlanders.

The score sheet was opened as early as the forth minute. Stimpson strolled up to put away the first of many kicking opportunities afforded him during the day by referee Maybank, whose decision-making could at best be described as random.

Saracens responded quickly with Bracken spurning an easily kickable penalty, and instead directing Goode to kick for the corner. In the shambolic lineout that followed England second row Ben Kay stole the ball brilliantly but his poor tap down bounced into the in goal area where it was pounced upon by the scavenging Richard Hill. Goode duly converted and Saracens took the lead.

The rest of the half followed the pattern of sporadic violence, random refereeing and great defence from both sides. Stimpson missed a couple of penalties that he would normally kick in his sleep, and then slotted one over from a full 54 meters. Following a further exchange of penalty kicks the sides went in for half time with Saracens in the lead by 10 points to 9.

As battle recommenced in the second half the Tigers pack slowly gained ascendancy. By the 18th minute the infamous Leicester ‘catch and drive’ finally got the better of the Saracens forwards and veteran hooker Dorian West emerged from the bottom of pile of bodies as the scorer of their first try. Minutes later the Leicester attack again took them to the Sarries 22, this time Mcmullen took a well struck drop goal and the Tigers eased 7 points clear.

It would take resolute work from the Sarries forwards and a touch of class from Goode, Castaignede (who came on for Horan) and danger man Richard Haughton to pull the scores back to even with only minutes of the second half remaining. Goode threw a wide pass to Castaignede who drew two men and popped a pass to ‘Del boy’ on the wing who embarrassed Holtby and left Stimpson spread-eagled as he went over for the try. Goode converted to tie the scores at 17 all.

A further exchange of penalties ensured that the teams finished the second half tied at 20 a piece. After an all to brief rest, the first 10-minute period of extra time commenced. This went by in a flash as both sides tried desperately to gain ascendancy. The Tigers extra power up front was really beginning to tell now as Sarries spent almost the entire period valiantly defending their line. So it continued in the second period until finally no more pressure could be sustained and Back went over for his try to close out the game and the season.

No one could have asked more of the players or the support, and few would deny that inspite of the best efforts of the referee, the game of Rugby emerged victorious from a fabulous afternoon at Franklins Gardens.