Round 3 of the Aviva Premiership is now in the bag. Wasps remain the only unbeaten side in England’s top tier as they eagerly await Kurtley Beale’s return from injury.
There were a few surprise results as well as some scintillating rugby, here is a wrap of the weekend’s action.
Bristol 17-41 Exeter
Friday night saw fifth placed Exeter travel to bottom of the table Bristol. The Premiership new boys have struggled on their return having shipped over 70 points last week in their thrashing by Wasps.
Last season’s beaten finalists have had a tough start this time around but put Bristol to the sword early on. Try machine Thomas Waldrom scored another two as the Chiefs completed their second bonus point win in seven days to kick start their season.
They go to Northampton next week whereas the hapless Bristol have the enviable task of taking on champions Saracens
Harlequins 17-10 Saracens
In probably the upset of the round, Harlequins inflicted a first defeat in six months to champions Saracens at the Twickenham Stoop. The control of Owen Farrell was greatly missed by last season’s double winners, as was his unerring accuracy from the tee.
Harlequins themselves had problems with three notable England players all only playing a small part or missing the game entirely. Scotland winger Tim Visser reminded everyone of his try scoring abilities with an intercept try and Charlie Walker added a second as Quins led 17-0 at half time.
Richard Wigglesworth pulled a try back soon after the restart but a superb defensive effort from Harlequins ensure that the majority of the 15,000 strong crowd left happy. Next up for Quins is Wasps away while Saracens hope to bounce back quickly when they travel to Bristol
Northampton 15-20 Wasps
Franklins Gardens is always a tough place to go and get anything from. Wasps will be delighted not only with the win but the manner of the victory as well. Powerhouse Wales winger George North scored inside the opening 60 seconds of the game as the Saints set their stall out early.
After a thumping win over Exeter the week before, which followed a bonus point win away at Welford Road, this was a very different game for Wasps. Their defence was stretched to almost breaking point on many occasions yet held firm.
An individual piece of Danny Cipriani brilliance put Jimmy Gopperth in for this third try of the season. The Kiwi would end the game with 15 of the 20 points Wasps accrued.
After 75 scoreless minutes, Northampton reduced the deficit to a point when scrum half Tom Kessell barged over but a late reply from winger Josh Bassett ensured that Wasps maintained their 100 per cent record and with players such as Beale and Willie Le Roux still to come, they will be a hard team to stop.
Worcester 34-34 Sale
The game of the round, no shadow of a doubt. Nine tries were shared between two teams at the wrong end of the table. The Ben Teo’o-less Warriors backline that contains Springbok stalwart Wynand Olivier and former Melbourne Rebel Copper Vuna were responsible for all five of their tries.
The Sharks American International fly half AJ MacGinty had a superb day from the tee, converting all four of his team’s tries and adding two penalties as well to ensure his team took a share of the spoils.
Both teams showed in patches they can play an exciting brand of rugby but there is a distinct gap in class to the teams at the top end of the table. Sale get a crack at Leicester next while Worcester have a very important game against Newcastle.
Gloucester 13-18 Newcastle
Newcastle can be very happy with their weekends work after surprising Gloucester 18-13 at Kingsholm. The result means they leapfrog their hosts into sixth place in the table and offers a huge sign of encouragement to a club that has battled tough times in recent seasons.
Dominic Waldouck’s converted try was added to by Alex Tait and Mike Delany added two penalties to give the Falcons a morale boosting win before their game against Worcester. Gloucester on the other hand will be disappointed with this result.
With ambitions to break into the finals series, results like this cannot happen for the Cherry and Whites with their derby against Bath up next.
Leicester 34-14 Bath
Welford Road was the scene for the final game of the weekend. Leicester prevailed in the battle of two of the best supported clubs in England. Bath came into the game with a 100 per cent record but 17 points from the boot of Owen Williams meant that run was to end. Peter Betham’s break was finished off by Brendon O’Connor for an early Tigers try and they never looked back from there.
Semesa Rokoduguni did get the better of Springbok JP Pietersen in a rare moment of celebration for Bath but Leicester never looked under pressure from the Rec. Bath players will get the chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of their fans if they beat Gloucester next week whereas Leicester travel to Sale hoping to continue to apply pressure on those above them.
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