A ground-breaking victory by Saracens, their first in 33 visits, had the crowd on the edge of their seats. But for Brendan Venter, Saracens' director of rugby, that was too literally the case.
Leicester supporters, sitting behind the South African in Welford Road's Crumbie stand, took exception to the over-excited Venter standing up and obscuring their view as he found himself again at the centre of attention in another controversial game between these clubs.
In January Venter's blistering attack on the referee David Rose following his side's defeat by Leicester at Vicarage Road earned him censure from Twickenham, and he may be in trouble once more.
So, too, may be his hooker Schalk Brits, the Saracens man whose interception try just after the interval helped turn the game his side's way. Brits's phenomenal pace helps make him a candidate for the Premiership player of the season award. But he was a little too quick in giving a one-fingered gesture to the home crowd, who jeered at him as he left the field injured five minutes later. Afterwards Brits apologised for what he said was "out of character" behaviour.
His boss Venter, meanwhile, moved down to the touchline later in the game but continued to bait and be baited by a home crowd frustrated that a Premiership home record of 20 successive wins was disappearing. This was a relief for Brian Campsall, Twickenham's referees assessor, who had been constantly nagged by Venter about what the former Springbok centre perceived to be a soft line taken by the referee Andrew Small over Leicester forwards' interference at the breakdown.
Small eventually lost patience when he showed Tom Croft a yellow card late in the game and after a combustible afternoon, Venter tried to pour oil on troubled waters. "This was a fantastic day, for players like Hugh Vyvyan, who has never won here, and for Moses Rauluni, who was playing his 100th game. Leicester are the benchmark but we feel we can beat anyone on our day.
"This is not arrogance as Northampton have suggested, and we are aware that we have not won any silverware. The crowd here is passionate, but I had to stand up because I couldn't see in one corner. If someone asks me nicely to sit down that is fine, but I object to be shouted at."
Saracens now head for a play-off semi-final at Northampton, where they were accused of a lack of humility by the Saints captain Dylan Hartley after ending their winning home run recently.
The Tigers lick their wounds before hosting Bath next Sunday, the last home game for Lewis Moody, who moves to the Recreation Ground this summer. "We'll be angry with ourselves this week. That hurt," said England's captain.
Leicester G Murphy (capt); Hamilton, Smith, Allen, Tuilagi (J Murphy, 62); Staunton, Youngs (Grindal, 72); Ayerza, Chuter (Duffey, 51), Castrogiovanni (Cole, 51), Parling, Kay (Crane, 51), Croft, Moody (Woods, 72), Newby.
Tries Tuilagi, Ayerza. Cons Staunton 2. Pens Staunton 3.
Sin-bin Croft, 67.
Saracens Wyles; Haughton (Ratuvou, 60), Powell, Barritt, Tagicakibau; Jackson (Hougaard, 72), De Kock (Rauluni, 50); Aguero (Gill, 59), Brits (Ongaro, 46), De Plessis, Vyvyan, Botha (Ryder, 51), Burger, Saull, Joubert (capt; Melck, 68).
Tries Wyles, Brits. Cons Jackson 2. Pens Jackson 5, Hougaard.
Referee A Small. Attendance 24,000.
