Saracens 19-15 Leicester Tigers LIVE – Gallagher PREM latest as Eroni Mawi scores winning try to secure hosts vital win in play-off push

Eroni Mawi’s second half try earned Saracens an important 19-15 victory against third-placed Leicester Tigers.

Mark McCall’s side risked being cut adrift of the play-off heading into the final four games had they been beaten.

In front of a sold-out StoneX Stadium, Sarries rose to the occasion with a determined performance.

Olly Hartley led by example with a charging run and stepped around the visiting defence to score a third-minute try.

Leicester are targeting a home play-off place and replied through Freddie Steward’s charge from a line-break.

Teenage winger Noah Caluori is the name ringing around North London currently and he showed why with a chip over the top before diving over the whitewash.

Leicester responded once again and Ollie Hassell-Collins scored in the corner to pull the visitors level, before Billy Searle missed a penalty kick late in the first half as the sides went into half-time locked at 12-12.

The second half was littered with handling errors as the pressure started to tell on both sides.

However, it was Saracens who clinched the win after Fergus Burke kicked deep into his opposition’s 22 and replacement Eroni Mawi drove over.

Leicester threw everything at their opposition, but only had a Searle penalty to show for their efforts as they settled for a losing bonus point.

Sarries have picked up a vital four points which keeps them on the tails of Bristol Bears in the race for a top four place.

Leicester will be disappointing with just their single losing point, before the top two prepare to meet this evening.

Saracens withstand a late Tigers play and steal the ball before kicking out to secure a slender 19-15 win.

Frustrations are starting to boil as the Tigers turn the ball over and line break. Cinti knocks the ball on deliberately resulting in a yellow card and Tigers penalty.

The centre relieves pressure on his side. The Tigers play the ball out wide, only for Segun to make a crunching challenge.

Tompkins comes over the top for a big turnover.

This has been a very niggly game which neither coach will be delighted with. Leicester will have one final push at the Sarries line.

Saracens are on the back foot and make a change to try and turn the momentum. Hartley is replaced by Cinti 

Leicester also make a chance as Whiteley comes on for Van Poortvliet.

Both sides are feeling the intensity of this top-six showdown. The half has been littered with handling errors as Saracens again fail to capitalise on a forward move.

However, Caluori is back on to give Saracens a boost.

Against 14 men the Tigers have gained the momentum and a driving run from Steward unlocks the defence. However, a late challenge results in the pass going to the shin of Wand who knocks the ball forward.

Mawi is caught in an off-side decision resulting in a penalty.

Searle opts for the posts and reduces Leicester’s deficit to four points.

For Leicester - Henderson taken off for Williams; Blamire replaced by Clare.

For Saracens - Tizard off for Isiekwe

It’s a blow for Saracens as Caluori came in around the back of a Tigers driving maul which had some real momentum.

From the resulting line-out Saracens produce some 'fantastic' maul defense to keep the visitors out.

Burke and George are replaced by Dan and Farrell

Saracens: Street on for Riccioni

Tigers: Radwan on for Hamer-Webb; Martin on for Chessum; Wand on for Perese; Hurd on for Heyes; Van der Flier on for Smith.

The Saracens captain steps out the line and lands a huge tackle on Blamire resulting in the Tigers man knocking on.

Hassell-Collins is judged to have dragged down Caluori, resulting in Burke kicking to the five-metre line.

The line-out sees bodies scrambled everywhere before Mawi grounds the ball. The referee believes that Heyes held him up, but the TMO showed the ball grounded on the line.

The conversion is good by Burke.

Early pressure in this first half and Moro finds space out on the wing. However, Itoje and Segun combine to tackle the Tigers man out of play.

Carre is replaced by Mawi.

We are back playing in North London and Saracens need the win to maintain their play-off charge. The hosts will have to be more clinical than the first half and hope that Caluori can provide some more magic.

Saracens have had seven clean breaks in that first half but have only two tries to show for their efforts.

They have also gained more metres than their opponents (225-169)