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Saracens player ratings vs Leicester Tigers | 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership
By Ian Cameron
Saracens player ratings: Mark McCall’s Sarries’ have found a path back to winning ways with a 29-22 triumph at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, after a fast start and an impressive second-half saw the Londonrs pick up a notable scalp on the road.
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Here’s how we rate the Saracens players:
1. Eroni Mawi – 6.5
Conceded two penalties in the first half, although he contributed some decent carries before making way before the break. Held his own against 126kg England tighthead Joe Heyes before going off.
2. Jamie George – 8
Set the tone early with a well-worked try, showing trademark support lines and clever interplay around the fringe. Lineouts were a bit of a shambles for Sarries but Theo Dan was more to blame in that department than George.
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3. Fraser Balmain – N/A
Forced off almost immediately after kick-off.
4. Maro Itoje – 8
Are we starting to see the return of vintage Itoje? The England skipper was a formidable presence in the engine room, dominating collisions and providing relentless work at the breakdown. Briefly caused alarm when he stayed down after a knock, but recovered to lead brilliantly. Conceded a few penalties, but there was more testament to someone playing right on the line.
5. Hugh Tizard – 7
Lineouts were an issue but he put in a decent shift around the park. Combined well with Itoje in the engine room, particularly in stifling Leicester’s attempts to build forward momentum late on.
6. Theo McFarland – 8
Came to life in the build-up to Juan Martin Gonzalez’s try, showing the offloading skills that have become his hallmark. It wasn’t his only one, either, and a real metre-eater with the ball in hand.
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7. Juan Martin Gonzalez – 8
Sniffed out his try after a slick move featuring McFarland and George. Always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, whether carrying hard or disrupting Leicester’s ruck ball.
8. Tom Willis – 9
Outstanding. Carried tirelessly and consistently made the hard yards, contemptuously swatting aside defenders like a bouncer at closing time. The England No.8 was the standout forward on the pitch and probably should have won Man of the Match.
9. Ivan van Zyl – 7.5
Kept Saracens ticking with crisp service. Box-kicked effectively, relieving pressure when Leicester built momentum. A measured display from the scrum-half.
10. Fergus Burke – 6.5
Guilty of a couple of turnovers and was maybe a little overshadowed by Handre Pollard. Steadied himself well off the tee, but never truly dictated the game. Mixed bag.
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11. Angus Hall – 8.5
The rookie took his try brilliantly, showcasing an NRL style finish to beat Adam Radwan to the corner flag. Handled aerial threats competently and looked like a real find on his full Premiership debut.
12. Nick Tompkins – 7.5
Brought his usual energy in midfield, running intelligent support lines and making key tackles. Kept things organised defensively and managed to leave Tigers’ defenders clutching on a number of occasions.
13. Alex Lozowski – 8
Missed a kickable penalty early on but struck a classy drop-goal soon after. Ran his channels well and offered a probing threat whenever he touched the ball. A composed, mature performance that helped steer the ship.
14. Tobias Elliott – 7.5
Conceded two turnovers at crucial moments but also played a vital part in creating a couple of turnovers of his own. Made a solid return of 44 metres and kept Tigers on their toes.
15. Elliot Daly – 6.5
Safe under the high ball for the most part, but a couple of missed tackles blotted the copy book. Produced some big clearing kicks and slick link-up play, yet not his most polished defensive outing.
REPLACEMENTS
16. Theo Dan – 5.5
Snatched the pivotal try from a Leicester line-out error, but his throwing at the line-out has to get better.
17. Rhys Carre – 6
Helped stabilise the scrum when introduced. Carried with intent but didn’t make many telling breaks. Solid if unspectacular.
18. Marco Riccioni – 7
Thrust into action early after Balmain’s injury. Steady in the set-piece and got through a considerable defensive workload.
19. Nick Isiekwe – 6
Offered fresh legs and plenty of grunt without setting the world on fire. Was a go to at the lineout on the few occasions’ Dan’s lineout balls were accurate.
20. Andy Onyeama-Christie – N/A
Didn’t feature long enough to earn a rating.
21. Ben Earl – 6.5
Didn’t quite hit his usual heights off the pine, but useful nonetheless.
22. Gareth Simpson – N/A
Not used.
23. Alex Goode – 7
Used his experience to guide Saracens through the final quarter. Managed the backfield well without any standout moments.
