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Aviva Premiership Week 9 round up

Rugby's senior players are the game's lifeblood. (AAP Image/Ross Setford)
Roar Guru
30th November, 2017
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The final round of matches before teams have some of their international players back. With the league heading into the cold winter months, players will be enjoying the last throws of half decent weather.

Newcastle 7-29 Gloucester
Newcastle have not won since they topped the table six weeks ago. That is four defeats on the spin for the Northerners. In comparison, Gloucester are starting to look better each week, following up their win over Saracens last week.

Andy Symons scored the first points of the game, benefiting from a superb break from Henry Purdy, before Jeremy Thrush delivered a sucker punch from a quick line out to give the Chery and Whites a 14-point lead after 25 minutes.

Purdy himself then collected his own chip to dot down ten minutes later after the hosts had tested the resolute Gloucester defence. Newcastle gave themselves hope on the stroke of half time as flanker Mark Wilson drove over for a try but Gloucester led 19-7 at the break.

From then on, the Gloucester defence shut out the hosts even though they were down to 14 men for a period after Billy Twelvetrees was sin binned for a deliberate knock on. Gareth Denman added to Twelvetrees penalty in the second half with a converted try just over ten minutes from time as Gloucester racked up an impressive away win.

Bath 38-14 Harlequins
This game was over after 19 minutes. In that short space of time Bath had crossed for four tries, three of which were converted by Freddie Burns. In a blistering start No.8 Paul Grant scored with just under two minutes on the clock.

Burns himself then dotted down eight minutes later and the crowd had barely time to sit back down when Elliot Stooke added to their joy. There was then a lull in precedings and it took a full six minutes before wrecking ball winger Matt Banahan got Bath the attacking bonus point with just 19 minutes on the clock, it was breathless stuff.

Henry Cheeseman stopped the onslaught running a good line off scrum half Jono Kitto but Burns added a penalty for a half time lead of 29-7. In the second half, Quins remembered how to tackle and Bath took their foot off the gas clearing their bench.

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Burns added a penalty in the 61st minute before Gabriel Ibitoye ran 60 metres on debut to score for Quins. Josh Lewis kicked a further two penalties for Bath as they jump into the top three.

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(Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

Leicester 27-31 Worcester
The Warriors resurgence continues. A lot of people were making a lot of noise that Leicester would be serious contenders this year but you can’t be losing at home to strugglers such as Worcester if you would like to compete.

Take nothing away from Worcester, they played well to record their first ever win at Welford Road and in the process take home a bonus point. The writing was on the wall as the Warriors raced into a 12-0 lead after seven minutes.

Alafoti Fa’osilva and Josh Adams silenced the home crowd. Early replacement Michael Fitzgerald scored midway through the first half with Joe Ford converting then adding a penalty to bring the Tigers back into it. If the crowd thought the Warriors would just roll over after that then it didn’t happen.

Adams grabbed his second of the game with Jono Lance adding the extras. Scrum Half Sam Harrison then scored right on the stroke of half time to make it a two point game. The momentum should have been with the home side but Worcester didn’t read the script.

Six minutes into the second half Jack Singleton crossed the line with Chris Pennell adding the extras and after Ford replied with another penalty the writing was really on the wall when Ryan Mills scored on 73.

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Leicester pushed and did get a try back through Gareth Owen but it was too little too late and Worcester recorded a famous and vital victory.

Sale 18-15 Northampton
A William Cliff was the difference between the two sides at the AJ Bell Stadium. With both sides in the congested middle of the table it was a chance for Northampton to get themselves back within touching distance of the top four and it started well.

Faf De Klerk opened the scoring with a seventh minute penalyy before Jacobus Reinach got the first try 13 minutes in, this was added to by Hooker Mike Hayward eight minutes later. Harry Mallinder added the extras to that to give the Saints a nine-point lead. De Klerk then continued his one man show for Sale scoring and converting his try just before half time to bring the Sharks within two points.

They took the lead four minutes into the second half when ben Curry scored before Mallinder levelled it all up on 55 minutes. 15 minutes before the end Cliff scored his penalty and that proved to be the final points as Sale move away from the drop zone.

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(AAP Image/Ross Setford)

London Irish 13-17 Wasps
Everyone that went or watched this game will forget the first half almost the second if ended. Wasps failed to capitalise on total forward dominance, Ben Franks was sin binned for repeated scrum collapses but Wasps made mistake after mistake to go in 3-0 down thanks to a Tommy Bell penalty.

Irish sniffed a famous win after Wasps over played just outside their 22 and Alex Lewington easily intercepted Nizam Carr’s pass to stroll in from 22 metres out.

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Wasps then clicked into gear. Danny Cipriani returned from injury and Dan Robson found holes. The forwards eventually got the reward their dominance deserved with Ashley Johnson scoring after a driving maul and Josh Bassett raced over after fine handling from the backs.

They still trailed by three as Gopperth was having an off day from the tee and Bell had added a penalty but they took the lead after a searing break from Robson.

He looked both outside and inside and elected to go inside to Nizam Carr who had the power and pace to go under the posts and get Wasps out of jail. They will be delighted to win but disappointed the bonus point went begging but sit only two points outside the top 4

Saracens 18-20 Exeter
Exeter made a huge statement on the weekend. Not many teams go to Allianz Park and pick up a win but the Champions did just that. Even more impressive was the fact that they were 15-3 down after 23 minutes after Alex Goode and Schalk Brits scored tries, Ben Spencer had converted one and scored a penalty with Gareth Steenson kicking a penalty for Exeter.

Steenson then kicked another penalty but the hosts, on a 19 match unbeaten run at home lead 15-6 at the break. Centre Ian Whitten’s convertetd try brought the South Coast men right back into the game only for Marcelo Bosch to kick Saracens further ahead again.

With the game entering the final ten minutes former Scotland prop Moray Low drove over from close range under the posts with Steenson kicking the winning goal to seal a superb win for Exeter and condemn Sarries to their second consecutive defeat in the league.

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