Saracens 26 Leicester Tigers 20: Revenge not so sweet for Venter as Saracens just hang on

Having battered Leicester to the brink of collapse Saracens failed to put them away and ended up defending for their lives for a victory that looked a formality with 25 minutes to go.

Venter said: "I'm a bit deflated to be honest because we should have had them and finished the job much earlier.

"Leicester were conceding penalties because we had the ball for sustained periods but we butchered a couple of sitters.

"We must learn to put teams away when we have outplayed them as much as we outplayed Leicester.

"I've told my guys that they are a much better team than they think. It's a matter of confidence but they must accept that last season was based on merit and we are getting better.

"If Leicester had been in that situation they would have come away with a winning bonus point for four tries and if you look at the league table they're always up there among the teams who get the most bonus points. They had a very difficult day here but yet they leave with a bonus point so I'm not very impressed."

Leicester rugby director Richard Cockerill said he was proud of the way his players came back from what looked like a potential hiding.

Cockerill said: "I'm very pleased at how we reacted, the players showed great spirit, especially when we had guys in the sin-bin.

"I thought we had a team to win this game but having seen it I'll take that losing bonus point."

As Saracens clung on at the finish memories of Twickenham must have been flashing through a number of minds but, in the end, the better team won.

Fly-half Derick Hougaard kicked three penalties, two conversions and a drop goal for 16 priceless points while Schalk Brits and Richard Wigglesworth added tries.

Billy Twelvetrees scored two penalties for Leicester and converted the first-half penalty try as well as the try by full-back Lucas Amorosino six minutes from time.