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Aviva premiership Week 3 round up

21st September, 2017
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Roar Guru
21st September, 2017
2

Round 3 of the Aviva Premiership saw the competition go global. All teams have now brought back in their Lions as players start to try and find some early season form to impress coaches ahead of the Autumn internationals.

Here is the wrap of week 3.

Northampton 24-6 Bath
A big problem last season for Northampton was their form at Franklins Gardens. Once a fortress, The Saints really need to get that aura back. They did that by ending Baths perfect start to the season and showed that the first game thrashing by Saracens was a mere blip.

A superb defensive effort, led by new signing Sam Underhill, restricted Bath to two Rhys Priestland penalties in the first half and that was it. Their pack were physical and provided the platform for the bonus point victory. None were more physical than Courtney Lawes and he scored the first try of the night on four minutes which was added to by Lock David Ribbans just before half time.

Ribbans then got his second of the game 15 minutes into the second half and George North scored the fourth with 5 minutes to go. Henry Mallinder added a further two conversions as the Saints start to put together what they hope is a rub of form.

Worcester 10-41 Exeter
A routine win for the champions which was the second bonus point win on the spin but the writing looks to be on the wall for already for Worcester. Gareth Steenson and Sam Olver traded penalties early on but the Chiefs relentless pressure eventually told as No.8 Sam Simmonds crashed over from close range.

Lions winger Jack Nowell got his try scoring campaign up and running five minutes before half time and there was still time for Johnny Hill to put Exeter on the brink of a bonus point by half time.

Worcester to their credit made the Chiefs wait until Olly Woodburn’s try in the 63rd minute to get their bonus point and by that time prop Biyi Alo had scored for the second week in a row but Simmonds got his second double of the season and Steenson completed a perfect afternoon with the boot as the Chiefs cruised.

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Sale 36-7 London Irish
Sale got their first win of the season with a five try to one victory over London Irish at the AJ Bell Stadium. AJ MacGinty’s ninth minute penalty was the only score until Ross Harrison crossed the line in the 14th minute. League convert and try-scoring machine Denny Solomona, then scored two converted tries within seven minutes, the second from yet another Irish mistake as he pounced on a loose pass to run in.

Fellow league convert Josh Charnley scored the bonus point try in the 56th minute as MacGinty once again added the extras before a penalty try finally got Irish on the scoreboard.

Any chance of a comeback was then extinguished when Scottish back rower Blair Cowan was sent off for two yellow cards and the Sharks made him pay by adding a fifth converted try from Mark Jennings.

Leicester 24-10 Gloucester
This game was all over within 21 minutes. The Tigers flew out of the blocks with England scrum half Ben Youngs scoring twice in the first 15 minutes and Nick Malouf also scoring. George Ford converted all three and Gloucester were doing Leicester a huge favour by not being able to retain any ball.

It was a much improved second half from the Cherry and Whites as Johan Ackerman clearly got into his troops at half time with Josh Hohneck running a superb line to score under the sticks two minutes into the second half, but time and again they didn’t make the most of opportunities with full back Jason Woodward causing a lot of problems.

There are a lot of encouraging signs but Ackerman has a lot of work to do to ensure the teams potential is fulfilled.

Newcastle 7-29 Saracens
Newcastle suffered their first defeat of the season as Saracens comfortably got their season back on track as Premiership Rugby went Stateside. Sarries were pretty much at full strength as the Vunipola brothers, Maro Itoje and Liam Williams were all included.

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The locals had a reason to cheers as American winger Chris Wyles scooted in eight minutes into the contest.

Newcastle did level through livewire winger Niki Goneva but Owen Farrell then got a grip on the game kicking five penalties and converting a penalty try as both teams waned in the conditions.

The promoters will be disappointed with the turn out but with a four-year deal agreed Premiership Rugby is, at least for now, here to stay in the States.

Wasps 21-24 Harlequins

After 20 straight home wins, the Ricoh Arena has finally been conquered. 18-year-old Marcus Smith was the hero with two late penalties to ensure that Quins returned to South London with the four points.

Joe Marler and James Haskell were involved in a clash that saw the Wasps back rower yellow carded but Haskell was very unhappy with Marler’s part in the incident.

Wasps scored the first try of the game after Danny Cipriani and Smith had traded penalties five minutes into the game. Their high powered back line combined to send Wade over. The lead only lasted for ten minutes though, Smith added another penalty before Marland Yarde scored from good work by Mike Brown.

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They extended their lead when Charlie Walker scored a converted try three minutes into the second half before Tom Cruse levelled the scores before Cipriani wrestled the lead back for the home site before Smith turned the game on its head.

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