This could be a dress rehearsal for the Premiership final at the end of the month. But the script was torn up. Saracens had never won here in 32 visits and Leicester had reeled off 20 successive league wins but the pretenders to the champions' crown deserved their first ever victory.

It was a bad-tempered game that matched the angry East Midlands weather. Theill feeling on the pitch was matched in the stands where the Saracens director of rugby, Brendan Venter, found himself in confrontations with Leicester supporters sitting behind him and who objected to the South African constantly leaving his seat and obstructing their view.

The home supporters who could see were not too happy either. The ultimate difference between the sides was Glen Jackson, who kicked 19 points, but the Tigers were a shadow of themselves. "We got what we deserved because we were too ill-disciplined and lacked control," said Richard Cockerill, Venter's opposite number who rued his England flanker Tom Croft being sent to the sin bin late in the game.

Leicester began well with Alesana Tuilagi battering his way over for the first try of the afternoon after 10 minutes but the Samoan wing was at fault when Jackson's towering kick bounced out of his reach and Chris Wyles saw the ball bounce into his arms for the first Saracens try.

Venter was out of his seat just after the break when another Leicester mistake gifted the visitors a try. This time Ben Youngs saw his pass intercepted by the Saracens hooker Schalk Brits who raced 40 metres to score a try that stretched the lead to 10 points. Leicester pinned them back when Youngs made a break and Marcos Ayerza went over for a try but Jackson's kicks kept Saracens' noses in front. Venter's side must travel to Northampton for their play-off semi-final next Sunday but they will fear no one after this ground-breaking win.