Leeds Carnegie 14 Saracens 26: Key angry as players are asked to look in the mirror

Yorkshire's unique sporting venue that caters for rugby union and league, county and international cricket has staged some iconic sporting moments over the past 12 decades.

But as the candles are lit today on the birthday cake, few will be talking with any great nostalgia about this game.

Leeds were brushed aside by a physically superior Saracens who condemned the hosts to a third straight Premiership defeat.

There was some cheer for the Headingley faithful, fittingly produced by a young man in James Tincknell who two years ago was a successful batsman before giving up cricket to pursue a career in scoring tries. He marked his debut by crossing late on, but it is keeping them out that is Leeds's immediate concern.

They have conceded nine tries in the opening three defeats – compared to four scored – a telling statistic which leaves them a point adrift at the foot of the table.

"We have to persevere with this new style," insisted director of rugby Andy Key of Leeds's attempts at more enterprising play that is designed at combatting the respect they earned from clubs last season and embracing the new law interpretations which reward attacking rugby.

"If we want to be a top team we need to be scoring more tries.

"But it's also about the players having a good, hard look at themselves."

After earning rave reviews for his debut performance at Gloucester, Christian Lewis-Pratt was prevented from having a similar impact on his home bow.

Though energetic and lively early on, a knee injury he received when guiding Leeds into the 22, hindered his impact. Prior to that he had missed a penalty when attempting to level the scores following Derick Hougaard's early three-pointer.

Hougaard then produced a moment of quality in an otherwise error-strewn first half, when he first pressured Leeds with a mighty kick, and then from the resulting stolen lineout inside Leeds's own five-metre line, kicked through for David Strettle to score in the corner, the former Rotherham wing outpacing Michael Stephenson to touch down.

Steve Thompson's first start was not one for his scrapbook. The World Cup winner's first carry of the game resulted in lost yardage as his England team-mate Steve Borthwick bulldozed him off his feet, and he spent most of the game remonstrating with referee Sean Davey who rarely approved of the actions of the men in blue shirts in the contact area.

Leeds's other England elite player Hendre Fourie was having more fun with a typically robust performance. However, save for the occasional good move, Leeds's attacks were too slow, and any hits they meted out were reciprocated by the notoriously merciless Saracens XV; Tom Denton nearly decapitated by one Kameli Ratuvou hit.

Saracens extended their lead to 13 points from another Hougaard penalty after Fourie was sin-binned for repeat infringements.

Despite Fourie still being off the pitch, Leeds looked more purposeful at the start of the second half. That endeavour was epitomised by Lee Blackett who turned defence into attack with a blistering 50-metre dart with only the last man denying him a fine individual try.

But Leeds could only transform such a promising position into three points, with Semi Tadulala most responsible for wasting a golden opportunity when he cut back inside into traffic instead of releasing Stephenson down the touchline.

That the still-limping Lewis-Pratt kicked the points said much about Leeds's lack of recognised fly-halves on the bench with Ceiron Thomas and Lachlan Mackay both injured.

A brilliant tackle from Scott Barrow prevented Jacques Burger going over before Lewis-Pratt eventually succumbed to injury; Leigh Hinton coming in at full-back, Barrow moving to No 10. Hinton was immediately in the action, kicking a penalty to cut the deficit further on 55 minutes.

Hougaard and Hinton exhanged penalties, and Leeds would have been closer to last year's Premiership finalists had No 8 Dan Browne not fumbled the ball when the tryline beckoned.

Livewire hooker Schalk Brits was introduced in a raft of replacements and was the man to emerge with the ball as Saracens' pack drove over six minutes from time.

Tincknell restored hope of at least a bonus point when he barrelled over after good groundwork by Andy Titterrell and Fourie, but Hinton's failure to convert ended any hopes.

"Our first-half performance was unacceptable," lamented Key.

Leeds: Stephenson, Blackett, Tinknell, Barrow, Tadulala (Fa'afili 61), Lewis-Pratt (Hinton 52), Mathie (Fury 65); MacDonald (Hardy 65), Thompson (Titterrell 61), Gomez (Swainston 55), Denton (Hohneck 61), Wentzel, Myall (Oakley 55), Fourie, Browne.

Saracens: Goode (Tagicakibau 46), Strettle, Ratuvou, Barritt, Wyles, Hougaard, De Kock (Wigglesworth 51); Carstens (Parr 61), Reynecke (Brits 51), Nieto (Du Plessis 51), Borthwick, Kruis (Smith 61), Melck (Mordt 74), Burger (Brown 67), Joubert.

Referee: Sean Davey.

Scorers

Leeds: pens: Lewis-Pratt, Hinton 2.

Saracens: tries: Strettle, Brits; cons: Hougaard 2; pens Hougaard 4.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: James Tincknell

Capped a fine debut with a late try. Signed from Wharfedale in the summer, it is hard to believe that just two years ago he was a future county cricketer having risen through the ranks at Durham.

Villain: Sean Davey

Andy Key bit his tongue when asked about the performance of Sean Davey who had the whistle to his lips for most of the game, largely to punish the Leeds players.

Key moment

Derick Hougaard kicks through a crowd of legs for David Strettle to pounce on the ball and score. Saracens never looked back after that.

Ref watch

Sean Davey: See above. Incessant blowing of the whistle, particularly in the set-piece, meant the game never had a chance to flow.

Verdict

Scoring tries, preventing tries and playing with belief are serious problems and with Leicester up next it gets no easier.

Not the start Leeds had hoped for.

Quote of the day

Last time we were here Leeds whupped us. Leeds are known for disrupting a team's set-piece but our scrum won it for us today.

– Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter shows his satisfaction at the victory.

Next game

Leicester Tigers, away; Saturday, 3pm; Premiership