Aviva Premiership Week 6 wrap

This week saw the top two teams battle it out and important points also picked up at the bottom of the table.

Here is the week six wrap:

Bath 30-3 Sale
Bath moved to second on the table in impressive fashion, keeping free-scoring Sale to just one penalty. Sale had scored 34 points in their previous two outings but came up against a staunch Bath defence.

Bath scored three converted tries, the first coming after only three minutes through Matt Banahan, while scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’I scored with his final contribution to the game, before replacement second row Kane Palma-Newport capped the night off for his team.

George Ford had a good night with the boot adding 15 points from the tee, as the West Country men bounced back from the criticism they took after the Gloucester game.

Exeter 27-27 Gloucester
A last minute Damian Welch try salvaged a draw for Exeter in a pulsating match at Sandy Park.

Gloucester looked to have done enough to record a good win, having been ten points in the lead with ten minutes to go.

Three tries, with two coming from forgotten England internationals Charlie Sharples and Ben Morgan, along with the metronomic kicking of Scottish international Greig Laidlaw, had given the Cherry and Whites a strong platform.

Exeter got themselves an extra bonus point, scoring four tries, with Thomas Waldrom one of the scorers, yet Gareth Steenson could only convert two of them on a poor day for the Exeter fly-half. He did have the chance to be a hero at the end but his touchline conversion to win the game went wide.

Gloucester will take heart from this result as Exeter lose more ground on the top four.

Harlequins 20-9 Northampton
Nick Evans returned to the Quins line-up as they beat Northampton to record their third win of the season and leapfrog their opponents.

After being on the receiving end of a mauling by Wasps the week before, Quins came out and to their credit continued to play rugby. Former Waratah Alofa Alofa bagged the only try of the game in his first start at home, and they were desperately unlucky not to score one of the most spectacular tries of the season as Karl Dickson just couldn’t ground the ball in goal.

Two Stephen Myler penalties had brought Northampton within two points at the break, but Tim Swiel, a half-time replacement for Evans, kicked four penalties to ensure Quins deservedly took home the points.

Leicester 34-13 Worcester
Leicester returned to their winning ways with a bonus point win over strugglers Worcester at Welford Road.

The game was over by half-time with the Tigers leading 20-0 thanks to converted tries from Tom Brady and Telusa Veainu, the latter brushing through some poor defence to dot down under the posts. Further tries from replacement prop Logovi’I Mulipola and Graham Kitchener completed the scoring for Leicester as Owen Williams added 14 points from the tee.

Worcester did score a consolation try through hooker Jaba Bregvadze, but the crowd of 20,000 people went home happy.

Leicester now head into the European break in the top four, having overtaken Exeter after this weekend’s results.

Newcastle 19-14 Bristol
Newcastle survived an almighty scare as league newcomers Bristol came agonisingly close to a first win of the season.

Ultimately, their efforts proved to be in vain as Newcastle managed a gritty win, securing sixth place.

The home side raced to a 19-0 lead with three first half tries to Juan Pablo Socino, Will Welch and Joel Hodgson. Yet the second half belonged to Bristol as Jon Fisher and Mitch Eadie both crossed the whitewash, while Adrian Jarvis converted to ensure nails were being bitten right up to the final whistle.

Both teams were guilty of missing kickable shots at goal, which is something that Bristol most certainly cannot afford to do, in a match that once again was more about attrition rather than skill. Joel Hodgson’s set piece move try was the highlight of an otherwise tense and forgettable game.

Saracens 30-14 Wasps
The champions ended Wasps’ 100 per cent record and overtook them at the top of the table.

Wasps had the majority of possession in the first half but found it almost impossible to penetrate the black wall of Saracens defenders. A moment of Danny Cipriani magic created a try for Josh Bassett but other than that, Wasps could only add one Jimmy Gopperth penalty even though they had 58 per cent of the ball. Saracens’ game plan was to frustrate Wasps and make them play from deep, and this worked wonders.

Mako Vunipola scored early on after a driving maul from a line-out and after Wasps made a mess of the restart just after Bassett’s try, Richard Wigglesworth sent Mike Ellery in at the corner to give them a 13-8 lead.

Another Cipriani break nearly brought about a second try for Wasps, but after that threat was snuffed out, Wasps could only add a couple more Gopperth penalties to bring them within two points after Alex Lozowski had put Sarries further ahead.

Two late Jamie George tries put a gloss on the victory and earnt the bonus point, sending out a message to the rest of the league.

The Premiership takes a break now as the teams focus on their respective European competitions.