The Six Nations returns this coming weekend, so players made their last bids to prove fitness or form, while teams tried to take advantage of players being away on international duty for the last time this season.
Here is a wrap of the Week 17 action.
Leicester 15-34 Exeter
The Chiefs continued their superb form at Welford Road, inflicting Leicester’s biggest home defeat of the season.
Their win moved them to within a point of league leaders Wasps, as Kai Horstmann, Stuart Townsend, Mitch Lees and a penalty try gave them the bonus-point win. Exeter ran out to a 27-8 lead at halftime and it was game over.
Italy prop Michele Rizzo opened the scoring in the fifth minute after the TMO awarded the try. After missing the conversion, Owen Williams then dallied on the ball and Horstmann charged it down to score. The penalty try came after Leicester pulled down a rolling maul and Townsend then added a third before the break.
Maxime Mermoz’s score eight minutes into the second half to give their fans hope, but Lees’ try on the hour put their hopes to bed.
Sale 12-32 Northampton
Northampton were the second away team on Friday night to pick up a bonus-point victory, coming away from the AJ Bell stadium with five points.
The game was scoreless until the 28th minute, when Ken Pisi was the benefactor of a mistake from Denny Solomona from a high kick as he scored after great work from Henry Mallinder. A five-metre scrum then allowed lock Michael Patterson to crash over as Northampton built a 12-0 lead in atrocious conditions.
Josh Charnley got his first try in rugby union after his switch from Wigan, collecting a good grubber kick through from Mike Haley, but Stephen Myler kicked a penalty on halftime to give the Saints a 15-7 lead.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, hooker Mike Hayward dotted down to give the visitors an 18-point cushion from the back of a maul, but Sale refused to lie down and with just over ten minutes to go Sam Evans scored.
But it was too late and Northampton gained the all-important bonus point in the final minute when substitute Ethan Waller scored.
Bath 3-24 Wasps
Bath are a team in freefall at the moment. After last week’s surprise loss to Bristol, they needed a response with teams such as Northampton and Leicester hot on their heels, but they couldn’t find one.
Wasps’ expansive rugby was a joy to watch at times as imports Kurtley Beale and Willie Le Roux impressed, as well as Danny Cipriani and Christian Wade. Wade’s 13th-minute try had been looking likely since kickoff, as the home side had no answer for what Wasps were throwing at them, and were fortunate to only be seven points down after 15 minutes.
Beale then scored the first of his two tries, receiving a pass from Tommy Taylor to run in by the posts and Jimmy Gopperth added his second conversion.
Bath got on the scoreboard in the final minute of the half, when their dominant scrum won a penalty and Tom Homer knocked over the penalty.
Beale’s second of the game came with 15 minutes to go after great hands released him. Wasps were unable to get the bonus-point try but will be more than happy with their weekend’s work in the West Country.
Gloucester 27-30 Harlequins
Another away win for Quins which keeps their slim hopes of a playoff place alive. 15 points in a frantic last nine minutes got them over the line and completely turning this game on its head.
Forgotten England man Charlie Sharples got the ball rolling in the third minute where the Cherry and Whites attacked from five metres from their own line, following a Quins turn over. Tim Visser continued his fine form, crashing over in the corner.
Gloucester had the better of the possession and territory but could not make it count and they were made to pay when No.8 Ben Morgan lost possession on halfway and a flowing move sent Charlie Mulchrone over the whitewash.
After an exchange of penalties, Gloucester trailed 15-10 at the break with some people not knowing how. Powerful winger David Halaifonua then scored the equalising try, with Billy Burns giving Gloucester the lead, which was extended two minutes later when Sharples added his second of the game.
The conversion meant that Gloucester held a 12-point lead, before the turning point when Richard Hibbard was binned and Quins took full advantage.
Newcastle 27-35 Saracens
Saracens put their recent woes behind them as they took a five-point haul from Newcastle. Alex Lozowski scored an impressive 20 points from two tries, two penalties and two conversions with Michael Rhodes, Chris Ashton and Nathan Earle getting the other tries.
Newcastle more than contributed to the game with three second-half tries of their own from Dominic Waldouck, Vereniki Goneva and David Wilson all scoring, and Goneva and Sinoti Sinoti looking dangerous all game.
Big Billy Vunpola returned to the Saracens line-up after three months out and played 65 minutes, which is great news for both Sarries and England.
This was very much a case of finishing your chances as Saracens showed Newcastle how it should be done, being clinical whenever they sniffed an opportunity, whereas the Falcons were guilty of not capitalising on the good work of the wingers.
Newcastle continue to impress and with Maxime Mermoz joining, they could very well be a formidable team next season.
Worcester 41-24 Bristol
That could be curtains for Bristol’s hopes of staying in the premiership. After an incredible victory over Bath last week brought them to within two points of their opponents, Worcester quickly put paid to any worries that their fans may have had, scoring six tries, with the bonus point wrapped up by halftime.
An early penalty try after Donncha O’Callaghan was illegally stopped from scoring after only 68 seconds. Francois Hougaard, who has made a telling contribution since signing at Sixways, then added a second only for Jason Woodward to almost immediately reply with a try of his own converted by last week’s hero Gavin Henson.
That was as good as it got for Bristol, as they were dominated from there on in. Will Spencer and Bryce Heem both scored before halftime, with Ryan Mills converting all of the scores. Heem again scored just after the hour before Max Crumpton and Tom Varndell scored for Bristol as they showed some pride.
Springbok Wynand Olivier rounded the scoring in the 79th minute to ease Worcester relegation fears. In their final five matches of the season, Bristol have to play Wasps, Saracens and Exeter, a tough feat which could end their stay in the league.
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