Gallagher Premiership week five round-up

After a two-week break for European action, it was a welcome return to the Gallagher Premiership this weekend.

The weekends action started on Friday evening at the Rec when Bath welcomed Saracens.

Owen Farrell enjoyed a winning return to Sarries as he kicked the defending champions to victory over Bath 25-12.

The England International capped a fine night with a 20-point return in his first game back after his Rugby World Cup exploits in Japan.

The hosts had taken the lead three times in the first half through Rhys Priestland penalties, but the visitors were indebted to another superb kicking display from Farrell.

Sean Maitland went over for the only try of the game for the visitors in the 33^rd minute to give Saracens a 16-9 lead going into the break.

Further Farrell penalties stretched Saracens advantage and despite Maro Itoje seeing yellow in the final ten minutes, the hosts were unable to close the gap.

Exeter Chiefs completed a comprehensive 38-3 victory over Wasps at Sandy Park on Saturday.

Chiefs ran in five tries for a bonus point triumph over the visiting Wasps. Ben Moon dotted down early on to set the tone of the match with Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom O’Flaherty, Alec Hepburn and a penalty try was enough to seal victory.

Moon opened the scoring inside five minutes before Jacob Umago got the visitors on the board from the tee before Gareth Steenson responded for Chiefs.

It took until the 53^rd minute for Exeter to get a stranglehold on the game when Cowan-Dickie benefited from a huge driving maul to touch down.  Three minutes later a penalty try was awarded for repeated collapsed scrums before the bonus point was wrapped up with 15 minutes to go when O’Flaherty danced through a static Wasps defence for a brilliant individual effort, with Hepburn grabbing the fifth late on.

Worcester Warriors completed a 20-13 victory over 14-man Sale Sharks at Sixways on Saturday.

Perry Humphreys and Ashley Beck both crossed to ensure Warriors made it three wins in the Gallagher Premiership.

The Sharks led at the break, courtesy of tries from scrum-half Faf de Klerk and Chris Ashton. However, the Sharks were reduced to 14-men when flanker Jean-Luc de Prez was shown red for a shoulder barge.

A pair of Duncan Weir penalties saw Worcester reduce the gap to four points at the break, and they hit back in the second half with full back Humphreys going over and Beck also rumbling over.

Northampton Saints empathically took the East Midlands bragging rights with a 36-13 victory over Leicester Tigers at Franklin Gardens on Saturday.

Matt Proctor’s early brace on his debut set the tone, with further tries from Api Ratuniyarawa, Tom Collins and Fraser Dingwall.

Guy Thompson had crossed for the opening try for the visitors to give Leicester the lead before the hosts took charge.

A fourth victory in five games has moved Saints to the top of the Gallagher Premiership table.

A last gasp Stephen Myler penalty earnt London Irish a share of the spoils against Bristol Bears in a titanic struggle at Ashton Gate on Sunday which finished 27-27.

It was the visitors who held a slender 7-3 lead at the break, thanks to a Ben Meehan try.

Bears soon regained their lead when Nathan Hughes crashed over just five minutes into the second period. Charles Piutau then gave Bristol a 15-10 lead after 54 minutes.

Waisake Naholo dotted down to put the visitors back in front, only for Bears to respond when Ed Holmes beat three defenders to cross to make the score 20-17.

Tom Parton thought he had grabbed the winner for the exiles on 74 minutes, but Bears hooker Harry Thacker went over three minutes later, before another penalty from Myler ensured both sides had to settle for a draw.

Alex Dombrandt’s second-half try and the boot of Marcus Smith handed Harlequins a vital 23-19 Gallagher Premiership victory against Gloucester at the Stoop on Sunday.

Quins were outscored by three tries to two but held on for their second victory in the Premiership.

Ollie Thorley crossed for a first half brace, sandwiched in between a Ross Chisholm try for Quins, ensured the visitors held a slender two-point lead at the break 12-10.

Ben Morgan’s second half try nudged Gloucester in front before Dombrandt wriggled over just after the hour mark to put Harlequins in front.

Billy Twelvetrees missed a late penalty which would have given the cherry and whites the win, but Marcus Smith showed him how it should be done by slotting over a penalty in the 82^nd minute to win the game for Quins and condemn Gloucester to their fifth defeat in a row in all competitions.