SARACENS' end of season revival gathered further momentum on Wednesday night as they blew away Leeds Tykes in the first leg of the Zurich Wildcard semi-final with a scintillating six-try victory.

This irresistible and vibrant performance saw the Men in Black rack up a seemingly unassailable 36-point lead to take to Headingley on Sunday in the return leg which, on this evidence, looks little more than formality.

Granted, Leeds were missing two of their most influential players in lock Tom Palmer and Springbok points-machine Braam van Straaten but it was difficult to imagine any team in the country living with a rejuvenated Saracens outfit in such rampant mood and they appear to be marching inexorably towards a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

That would constitute a remarkable turnaround for a side who have toyed with the possibility of relegation since the turn of the year but, after two memorable victories in the space of five days, now look the Premiership's form horse.

The stunning victory over Sale Sharks on Saturday not only appears to have lifted the relegation cloud hanging over their head and given them the freedom to express themselves, but restored confidence and self-belief into the side and lifted a club which had looked resigned to another depressing season of under-achievement.

It looked a tall order to ask the players, playing their sixth match in 20 days, to repeat the exploits of Saturday but they not only matched it but surpassed it by some distance.

In doing so they recorded back to back victories for the first time since the end of December which, ironically, came at home to Sale and Leeds.

Wednesday's victory was founded on an awesome forwards display that overwhelmed the visitors and gave Saracens rapier backs the platform to flourish. Internationals props David Flatman and Christian Califano fortified the scrum and were outstanding in the loose, while the commanding and tireless Richard Hill and Kris Chesney enabled Sarries to turn the ball over at will.

In the backs, which is traditionally where Sarries strength has lied, the centre partnership of Ben Johnston and Kevin Sorrell looked of international calibre, Andy Goode underpinned the victory with a flawless kicking display, while scrum-half Kyran Bracken revelled behind a rampant pack and dictated proceedings behind the scrum.

Buck Shelford had toyed with the idea of resting his captain but he resisted the temptation and made five changes, one positional, to the side that vanquished Sale on Saturday. That failed to disrupt the continuity of a side oozing with confidence and, if anything, provided fresh impetus as Saracens, continuing where they left on Saturday, stormed into a 10-0 lead inside five minutes.

After the revitalised Goode had landed a penalty inside a minute, Tom Shanklin left three tacklers trailing in his wake on halfway before releasing the impressive Johnston who outstripped and outmuscled the last man to score under the posts for his second try in two matches. Goode added a straightforward conversion before Sarries propensity to switch off immediately after they have scored reared its head again.

They successfully won back the restart but their overconfidence in attempting run the ball from deep cost them dear when Tim Horan uncharacteristically spilled the ball on the left flank 30 metres out and resulted in a simple score for Winston Stanley by the posts. Gordan Ross nailed the conversion.

Goode, his opposite number, edged Sarries back in front with a tenth-minute penalty before Sarries began to pull clear with a try on 18 minutes which arrived after a move started and finished by Shanklin.

The Cardiff bound wing-cum centre intercepted an attempted chip and run from Diego Albanese on halfway and launched a counter-attack which almost put Darragh O'Mahony in the corner.

Sarries were held up twice from two attempts at a catch and drive from a line-out, but they were not be denied on the third attempt when Bracken and Goode linked up excellently at half-back to spin the ball out to the right where Shanklin darted between two men to touch down. Goode, now brimming with confidence, landed a brilliant touchline conversion, added another penalty on 27 minutes and then created and converted Sarries third try on 33 minutes.

Just a minute after Ross had rattled the upright with a penalty, a wonderful mis-pass from the fly-half found the rampaging Chesney who showed a slick pair of hands to send O'Mahony free down the left and the Irish wing rounded the hapless Albanese to score.

At 30-7 in front Sarries already looked out of sight, but a stubborn Leeds side refused to lie down and a try from Chris Hall, converted by Ross, on the stroke of half-time kept them clinging on to Sarries' coat-tails.

Saracens came roaring out of the traps at the start of the second and extended their lead by seven points after just two minutes.

A pass from Ben Skirving was flicked one-handed by Horan into the path of Califano, the French international prop, who surged through the midfield like a centre. He kept a cool head to feed the supporting Chesney who sauntered over for Sarries fourth try. Goode again converted and added a 46th minute penalty to put 40-14 up and a rout looked on the cards.

Leeds reduced the deficit on 58 minutes when Stanley touched down for his second try, again converted by Ross, but it proved little more than a consolation as Sarries flicked the switch to plunder 17 points in the last quarter.

Goode banged over another penalty on the hour mark and, after the sin-binning of Alix Popham, Sarries took just three minutes to make their numerical advantage count with a sensational try from the magical Horan.

Horan, like all great players, seems to possess an immaculately sense of timing and in his final appearance at Vicarage Road he burst between two defenders on half-way before sprinting to the line for a vintage try that rolled back the years.

The game was marred by a serious injury on 74 minutes to Leeds replacement Stewart Campbell who was stretched from the field, but the five-minute delay did little to disrupt Sarries' rhythm and they completed the rout when Sorrell slide over in the corner for Sarries sixth and final try.

Goode completed a faultless performance with the boot by adroitly adding the touchline conversion, his 11th successful attempt, as Sarries recorded their biggest margin of victory in a domestic fixture since the 59-5 demolition of Rotherham in September 2000.