Brendan Venter has history at Welford Road he may care to forget but, after Saracens edged this 12-try thriller, the South African could toast a fine start to his new chapter at the club.

Sixteen years ago Venter was hit with a 14-week ban for making inappropriate and provocative gestures at the Leicester faithful. Fast forward to the present and he was largely on his best behaviour as Saracens overcame Nick Isiekwe’s 20-minute red card to kickstart their season. At the full-time whistle, however, he could not resist a moment of furious delight.

Leicester, for whom Gabriel Hamer-Webb scored a hat-trick, will be desperately disappointed by how often they let Saracens back into the match – but credit to the visitors, for whom Ben Earl was inspired off the bench and Tomos Williams imperious on debut.

Saracens’ ability to overcome adversity, losing Olly Hartley to a nasty-looking arm injury early on and having to briefly deploy Earl at centre, is testament to the spirit shown by Venter’s side.

It was the kind of afternoon that will delight attack coaches, infuriate their defensive counterparts and it rounded off a record-breaking first weekend with 52 tries across the five matches. Rotimi Segun’s second proved the most decisive here but credit goes to Fergus Burke too. He nailed five conversions to Billy Searle’s four and that ultimately proved decisive.

Saracens began in emphatic fashion. Indeed, they were a try to the good inside two minutes, the Tigers barely touching the ball before Juan Martín González powered over. The Argentinian’s robust finish came on the back of a probing passage of play, the new signings Williams and Alfie Barbeary heavily involved before González seized Billy Searle’s failed interception to score.

Inside 10 minutes Saracens doubled their lead. Turning down a kick at goal Saracens went to the corner on the left before fine passes from Williams and Fergus Burke put Tobias Elliott away on the right.

Before the half-hour Leicester had two tries of their own, however, hitting back in fine fashion. The captain, Jack van Poortvliet, was at the heart of the Tigers’ response, box-kicking accurately, sniping whenever he saw space and Saracens were soon rattled despite their fast start.

Solomone Kata struck with the Tigers’ opening score of the season, picking up a loose ball and shrugging off Elliott far too easily for Venter’s liking. Leicester’s second was finished by the always dangerous Hamer-Webb. Sharp hands from Freddie Steward put him away but the try owed everything to Van Poortvliet’s dart up the middle.

Elliott’s temporary withdrawal prompted a Ben Earl cameo at centre just after the half-hour mark and minutes later Saracens had their third try. Earl’s versatility is a considerable string to his bow but there is no substitute for footballing talent and the manner in which Burke, Max Malins and Elliot Daly combined for Daly to go over on the left was a sight to behold. Leicester finished the half the stronger but a sloppy handling error – the kind that can be put down to early season rust – ensured Saracens took a nine-point lead into the sheds.

Elliott returned to the field after half-time – Earl shifting to the pack with Barbeary making way – and it was down his wing that Leicester had their third try, and Hamer-Webb his second, after good work from the debutant Wales back-row Aaron Wainwright and Finn Carnduff.

Back at home at No 8 Earl’s powerful finish from close range re-established Saracens’ breathing space on the scoreboard and made sure of the bonus point but in keeping with the topsy-turvy nature of this contest, Hamer-Webb had his hat-trick – and the pick of his tries – after a fine break from deep by Steward and another sharp pass from Wainwright.

Leicester had the bit between their teeth and took the lead for the first time in the match with Adam Radwan’s 54th-minute score. Kata, always a handful, made the initial break before Van Poortvliet’s delightful dink put the ball on a plate for the former Newcastle winger. To make matters worse for Saracens, Isiekwe was then handed a 20-minute red card for a high tackle on Steward.

Segun’s first try came after Daly’s perfect crossfield kick before Leicester nosed ahead again through James Thompson’s close-range effort. Segun went over again on the left with seven minutes to go after slick hands through the backs and Saracens, back to 15 men, clung on with the kind of ferocity that suggests they will be in the mix this season.