Charlie Sharples scored a try for Gloucester at home to Harlequins
Photo: Martin Bennett/Gloucester RFC
Gallagher Premiership Review Week 5
By Peter Moore
On another enthralling week in the Gallagher Premiership, Saracens and Exeter both maintained their 100% unbeaten record. The weekend also saw Harlequins register their first victory on the road in the Premiership for a year and Sale remain at the bottom of the table after narrowly missing out on victory against Leicester.
No less than half of this week’s games finished up with no more than five points separating the sides, just to prove how tight this Premiership is going to be this season.
The weekend’s action started at Kingston Park on Friday evening when Wasps traveled to the North East to face Newcastle. The hosts were fast out of the traps and soon opened up a 15-8 lead. Wasps hit back when Anthony Watson crossed on the stroke of half time to narrow the gap to just two points.
Newcastle added another five points through Jonny Williams second try of the night. Shortly afterwards the visitors emptied their bench by bringing on England International Elliott Daly alongside the excellent Dan Robson and started to look more threatening. Juan de Jong crossed and with Lima Sopoaga adding a conversion and a penalty, Wasps scrapped home by the narrowest of margins 23-22.
Saturday’s action saw Saracens make it five wins out of five and maintain their position at the top of the table with 25 points after securing a comfortable 50-27 victory against Bath at Allianz Park.
The home side ran in eight tries with a hat trick from Liam Williams and ten points from the boot of Owen Farrell. Bath were still in the contest at 26-20, but further tries from Nick Tompkins, Sean Maitland and Christopher Tolofua sealed another five points for Sarries, who hold top spot by one point from Exeter.
Chiefs had to ground out a win at home to Worcester Warriors, gaining their fifth successive victory of the season- 28-11 at Sandy Park.
Worcester, came into the game knowing they were the last visitors to win at Sandy Park, when they edged out Chiefs 6-5 in February. This contest at least had more tries scored than the last with Dave Ewers picking up a brace for Chiefs as the hosts took a 21-11, lead which they never looked like letting slip.
Harlequins ended a woeful run of 11 successive away league defeats by beating Gloucester 27-25 at Kingsholm.
In a game that could off gone either way, Gloucester were clinging on to a narrow 25-24 lead with three minutes remaining. Quins supremo Paul Gustard replaced his entire front row and the fresh legs of Lewis Boyce, Dave Ward and Will Collier forced a penalty that Marcus Smith converted to give Quins victory.
Harlequins were also indebted to former Saracens winger Nathan Earle who snapped up two try scoring opportunities for the South West London side. Danny Cipriani once again shone for the home side with 15 points, but it wasn’t enough as Harlequins beat Gloucester for the third time in the last five matches between the sides at Kingsholm.
At Ashton Gate, no less than 85 points were shared between the sides with the visiting Northampton Saints grabbing a 45-40 victory against Bristol Bears. The hosts ran in five tries in the afternoon with a brace from Centre Will Hurrell, but it wasn’t enough as Saints went one better, along side 15 points from the boot of Dan Biggar to edge out Bristol.
On Sunday Leicester entertained bottom side Sale at Welford Road, and edged the match 19-15 thanks to a late George Ford penalty.
Ford- who leads the Premiership charts with most points scored this season 82- added another 12 from Sunday’s game to give Eddie Jones a nudge to let him know he is the man in form. Sale, put up a spirited performance and outscored Tigers three tries to one, thanks to Marland Yarde, Rob Webb and Curtis Langdon. It was enough for Sharks to pick up a losing bonus point, but not enough to lift Sale of the bottom of the table.
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