A game which yielded just two tries in the first half exploded in the second with eight touchdowns but Saracens collected the lion's share to overcome Leeds in this first-round Pool D match.

Alberto Di Bernado and Gordon Ross exchanged penalties in the opening minutes before a spectacular break by Dave Seymour created the first scoring opportunity but Edd Thrower was cut down at the corner flag by Di Bernardo.

However Saracens kept their opponents pinned down in that corner and eventually won a scrum. Alan Dickens swapped passes with Ross before sending Rod Penney crashing over under the posts. Ross added the conversion to make it 10-3 but Leeds kept plugging away and got their reward when Rhys Oakley released Appo Satala down the left. The Fiji wing showed his strength in bursting through before handing on to Jon Goodridge and second row Erik Lund finished off the move with a try in the corner.

Ross then increased the visitors lead to five points with his second penalty just before half time. Di Bernardo reduced the arrears with a penalty early in the second half but almost immediately Craig McMullen seized on a mistake to score under the posts and the conversion by Ross made with 20-11. Penney then collected his second try with a powerful break through the middle and Ross again converted.

They hit back when Mike MacDonald finished off a fine break by Leigh Hinton and Di Bernardo converted but they hardly had chance to draw breath before Thrower scorched down the touchline for a try and Moses Rauluni raced over for another and the conversion by Ross made it 18-39. Satala went over for a try on his debut but Saracens had the final say with Kevin Sorrell scoring under the posts .

Leeds Goodridge; Hinton (Armstrong, 67), Rock, Tuilagi (Blackett, 61), Satala; Di Bernardo, Brooks (Edwards, 54); MacDonald, Parkes (Ma'asi, 54), Pala'amo (Hopcroft, 49), Lund (Bouza, 64), Myall, Paul, Clark (Stitcher, 64), Oakley.

Tries Lund, MacDonald, Armstrong, Satala. Con Di Bernardo. Pens Di Bernardo 2.

Saracens Haughton; Van Der Merwe, Penney (Sorrell, 55), McMullen, Thrower (Cato, 74); Ross, Dickens (Rauluni, 57); Lloyd, Ongaro, Mercey (Liffchak, 70), Chesney, Ryder, Gustard, Seymour, Hall (Barrell, h-t).

Tries Penney 2, McMullen, Thrower, Rauluni, Sorrell. Cons Ross 5. Pens Ross 2.

Referee M Changleng (Scotland). Attendance 2,639.