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No Six Nations Rugby this week ensured that domestic rugby was once again the main focus, and with key matches affecting both the top and the bottom of the table, this was another key weekend for teams.
Here is a wrap of week 15:
Gloucester 31-23 Saracens
Two defeats in two weeks for the Champions is most un-Saracens like. England prop Mako Vunipola returned from injury but was powerless to stop the Cherry and Whites giving their fans a huge reason to celebrate. Richard Hibbard’s 75th minute try from a rolling maul off a lineout put the home team out of sight to condemn Sarries to consecutive defeats. Billy Burns helped himself to 13 points and Billy Twelvetrees got a late penalty to add to Tom Marshall, Jeremy Thrush and Hibbard’s tries. Schalk Brits got the try scoring underway after being put away by Richard Wigglesworth but Gloucester didn’t let themselves get overpowered. Marshall’s try was shortly after Marcelo Bosch had given Sarries a 13-3 lead and Billy Burns soon cancelled out an Alex Lozowski penalty just before half time. Thrush’s score gave Gloucester momentum but Saracens roared back into the game when Will Fraser scored. Twelvetrees struck a penalty a minute before Hibbard’s late score prevented Saracens even taking a bonus point.
Bath 22-12 Harlequins
The Quins could not follow up their maiden away victory over Bristol last week as Max Clark’s try proved enough to edge the game for fourth-placed Bath. Quins responded with tries from wingers Tim Visser and Marland Yarde, one of which was converted by Ruaridh Jackson, but five penalties and a conversion from Rhys Priestland kept them at arm’s length. The Londoners played most of the rugby but could not convert their pressure as Bath got out to a 6-0 lead after not having much of the ball. This changed in the 29th minute when Visser dived over in the corner with Jackson converting to nose them in front but this was short lived as Priestland kicked his third penalty of the afternoon for a 9-7 halftime lead. Yarde then scored just over five minutes into the second half. Bath then roused themselves from their attacking slumber and got their reward when Clark powered over in the 64th minute to regain the lead at 16-12. Priestland then kicked them out of sight and took away a valuable bonus point from a fellow top-six challenger.
Leicester 50-17 Bristol
Two heavy defeats in two weeks for the cellar dwellers does not bode well. All that encouragement from before Christmas has evaporated as Leicester found their grove at Welford Road. Eight tries and five conversions brought up the half century with JP Pietersen making a welcome return to the scorers with a brace. The other scorers were Pat Cilliers, Telusa Veainu, Brendon O’Connor, Adam Thompstone and Owen Williams, who also converted five for a personal haul of 15 points. Rob Hawkins and Jamal Ford-Robinson got Bristol’s consolation tries. Bristol actually opened the scoring with Jason Woodward scoring a seventh-minute penalty but that was as good as it got for the West Countrymen as Leicester scored five tries in 17 minutes to put the contest to bed. The Tigers only scored three further tries in the second half as they noticeably slowed down and Ford-Robinson got the final score of the game but the future is looking bleak for Bristol.
Worcester 32-48 Exeter
This was another cracking game involving Exeter – 80 points shared and both teams walked away with an attacking bonus point. James Short scored a hat-trick as this game burst into life in the second half. Josh Adams and Perry Humphreys both scored in opening 15 minutes with Gareth Steenson converting his own try sandwiched in between. Ryan Mills also added two penalties for the Warriors as Short collected his first of the afternoon and Steenson a penalty to give Worcester an 18-17 lead at half time. The turning point in the game came when Worcester number eight Alafoti Fa’osiliva was yellow carded and Exeter immediately took advantage with Olly Woodburn scoring. Short added his second of the afternoon three minutes later and Sam Simmonds added a fifth Chiefs try a further minutes after that. Worcester to their credit hit back with Bryce Heem scoring just before the hour – and before Michele Campagnaro knocked the stuffing out of them scoring soon after. Short’s hat-trick try put Exeter 48-25 in front before Worcester got their bonus point with Jackson Willison scoring in the final minute under the posts. This result puts Exeter level on points with second-placed Saracens with a league-high 11 bonus points.
Newcastle 46-31 Northampton
The game of the weekend was at Kingston Park. No-one saw this result coming after Ken Pisi and Jamie Gibson sent Northampton into a 14-point lead after six minutes. Sonatane Takulua’s try reduced the deficit to 17-10 in the 19th minute but Henry Mallinder’s 28th-minute score blew that score out again to 24-10. Sean Robinson then powered into the corner was the final score of a breathless first half with Northampton holding a nine-point lead. The Falcons then flew out the traps in the second half, getting a bonus point and turning this game on its head before Northampton knew what had happened. Rob Vickers barrelled over from close range, and with the half just four minutes old Takulua skipped away for a quick fire double. His hat-trick was completed seven minutes later and when Kyle Cooper scored in the 58th minute, and Northampton found themselves 39-24 down having conceded 24 points in under 20 minutes of play. Nicky Hayward then scored from a lineout to bring the Saints back into this rip-roaring game and set up a barnstorming last ten minutes, but it was the Falcons who were the team to score again as Mark Wilson got their seventh try and made them serious contenders for the top six.
Sale 34-28 Wasps
This week’s surprise came at the AJ Bell Stadium, where Sale took advantage of a very slow-staring Wasps outfit to pretty much secure their Aviva Premiership status for another season. Denny Solomona was the third player to score a hat-trick as he took full advantage of Wasps mistakes to pounce. Wasps lead 6-3 after two Jimmy Gopperth penalties to one Will Addison before Solomona scored his first try in the 19th minute after poor defence at the ruck from Wasps. A slip from Christian Wade allowed Solomona to collect his own chip and three minutes later superb hands put Solomona in for this third following a mistake from scrum half Dan Robson. Dai Young would not have been happy with what he has seen and he would have been even less happy when Mark Jennings got the Sharks bonus point try three minutes into the second half. five minutes later Wasps started to click into gear and Josh Bassett was the beneficiary from a Kurtley Beale break. Ashley Johnson then scored from close range as Wasps threatened to make a comeback, but an Addison penalty calmed the Sale nerves and gave them a 13-point lead. New signing Willie Le Roux came off the bench to link brilliantly with Beale for the Australian to dot down but Sale held on for the final ten minutes for a huge win. The bonus point means that Wasps have a six point lead over Saracens and a red hot Exeter team and they will want to wipe the one away as a bad day at the office.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.