Leeds Carnegie 5 Saracens 28:Second cup exit leaves Leeds free for survival bid

Following hot on the heels of their disappointing exit from the European Challenge Cup at the hands of Bourgoin last Sunday, came this dispiriting defeat against Saracens.

The Premiership high-fliers were without 11 England players of varying age groups – including Martin Johnson's captain Steve Borthwick – but still had too much for a similarly experimental Leeds line-up who did little to increase the belief among themselves and the sparse Headingley crowd that they will extend their stay among the elite beyond this season.

The visitors named five South Africans in their starting line-up, among them Springbok hooker Schalk Brits whose first-half performance was decisive.

Leeds had started as they always do, defiantly, forcing three turnovers in their own half, but the class of Saracens did not take long in shining through.

Captain Wikus van Heerden was the orchestrator of the opening try on 15 minutes, handing off to Ernst Joubert who danced between the posts; Derick Hougaard converting.

Saracens have built a reputation for grinding out results despite a low try count this season, but they played some neat rugby at times, epitomised by their second try on 20 minutes from the nimble Brits, who also had a hand in the third try, a sweeping right-to-left move on 32 minutes, finished off by Andy Powell.

A flowing attack involving the lively Henry Fa'afili and Henry Paul almost resulted in a try for Leeds's newly-appointed England Under-20 captain Jacob Rowan as the hosts threatened.

Mercifully, Brits was one of four players replaced by Brendan Venter at half-time.

Among the replacements was former Leeds scrum-half and Kiwi legend Justin Marshall, who picked up where the Springbok left off, galloping over for another try on 50 minutes.

Leeds attacked hopefully but haphazardly in the closing stages, and were finally rewarded when Pete Wackett crossed in the final moments.

There were plus points for Leeds – the performances of Andy Titterrell, on his first start, and Fa'afili, the return of Scott Barrow from injury and a collective willingness to kick for touch and gamely attempt to cross the whitewash instead of taking the easy penalties on offer.

But the bottom line is there is no more Europe and no more Anglo-Welsh – save for next week's dead rubber at Ospreys – leaving Leeds with 10 games to secure Premiership survival.

Leeds Carnegie: Goodridge, Wackett, Fa'afili, H Paul (Barrow 50), Armstrong, Ford, Bedford (Mathie 59); Hardy (Moreno 59), Titterrell, Bucknall (Swainston 55), Denton (Lund 55), Murphy, Pendlebury (Myall 59), Rowan, Oakley. Unused replacements: Nilsen, Strange.

Saracens: Wyles (Short 57), Haughton, Penney, Powell, Tagicakibau, Hougaard (Jackson 46), Rauluni (Marshall 40); Lealamanua (Reynecke 40), Brits (Aguero 40), Skuse (Nieto 40), Vyvyan (Smith 57), Botha, Van Heerden, Burger, Joubert (Melck 53).

Referee: R Debney.