Gallagher Premiership week 12 round-up

Another enthralling weekend of Gallagher Premiership action kicked off on Friday evening at Kingsholm where Sale Sharks completed a 23-17 victory over Gloucester.

Sharks continued their impressive campaign after surviving a late Gloucester fightback at a wet and windy Kingsholm.

It took 27 minutes before the first points were put on the board when Rob du Preez slotted over a penalty kick. With five minutes of the half remaining Sale claimed the opening try of the contest when Luke James dotted down.

Sale started the second half as they finished the first when Bryn Evans crossed, but Will Griff’s yellow card in the 55^th minute saw the momentum shift as Fraser Balmain scored a try to reduce the deficit.

Sharks hit back when the in form Marland Yarde added his fourth try in the last two weeks to push Sharks ahead.

A grandstand finish was on the cards when Billy Twelvetrees dotted down for the hosts, but Sale held on for the win.

Harlequins edged past league leaders Exeter Chiefs in a thriller at the Stoop, after a late penalty try secured a 34-30 win for Quins.

Chiefs fly-half Joe Simmonds scored 25 points for the visitors, but it was all in vain after a period of late pressure paid off for Harlequins.

Chiefs got off to the perfect start after only three minutes when Phil Dollman dotted down, but Quins hit back after Danny Care took a quick tap and go for the powerful Paul Lasike to cross.

Quins added to their total after the break when Tevita Cavubati went over after a scrum, only for Chiefs to hit back when Joe Simmonds went over.

Simmonds added his second of the afternoon, but Paul Gustard’s men responded eight minutes later when Marcus Smith’s converted try tied the game at 27-27.

Simmonds kicked another penalty to open up a three-point lead for the Chiefs, but the hosts refused to give up and were rewarded for their efforts at the death when referee Christopher Ridley awarded a penalty try for Quins to cap a dramatic win.

Two late penalties from Johnny McPhillips was enough to secure a 14-8 victory for Leicester Tigers over Worcester Warriors at Welford Road on Saturday.

Warriors struck in the 11^th minute when Perry Humphreys went over. Tigers cut the deficit when McPhillips kicked a penalty, before taking the lead through Jordan Olowofela’s try.

Duncan Weir levelled at 8-8 with a penalty kick, before six further points for the home side was enough to see of a spirited Warriors side.

Northampton Saints lost their fourth successive Premiership match for the first time since April 2018, after suffering a 27-21 loss to Saracens at Franklin Gardens on Saturday.

Saints got off to a flyer after running in two tries in the opening ten minutes through Fraser Dingwall and Harry Mallinder. The visitors soon hit back when Rotimi Segun went over in the corner.

With twenty minutes Saints lost Dan Biggar with an injury and Mallinder took over at fly-half. His first action in his new position was to slot over a penalty to give Saints a15-8 lead at the break.

Early in the second half Saints were reduced to 13 men when Lewis Bean and Taqele Naiyaravora were both sent to the sin bin.

Jack Singleton’s try and Manu Vunipola’s conversion levelled the contest while Nick Tompkins crossed to put Saracens in front for the first time.

Sarries scored their bonus point try when Ben Earl ran the length of the pitch, but soon had both Matt Gallagher and Alex Lewington sin binned.

Despite having the man advantage, Saints couldn’t capitalise, and Saracens held on for the win.

Wasps completed a 36-26 victory over London Irish at the Madjeski on Sunday.

It was the exiles who scored the first points of the day when Ben Meeham went over. Stephen Myler converted to give the home side the early advantage.

A Jimmy Gopperth penalty dragged Wasps back into the contest, only for Ben Loader to go over for the hosts. Another Myler conversion gave Irish a 14-3 lead.

A couple of converted tries in the course of six minutes gave Wasps a narrow three-point lead, before Irish hit back when Matt Rogerson crossed. But Wasps had the perfect response with three tries in 12 minutes through Marcus Watson, Dan Robson and Jacob Umago.

Despite the exiles picking up a late consolation try through Motu Matu’u, it was too little to late as Wasps claimed a big win.

Bristol Bears continued their impressive form in the Premiership by completing a 19-13 victory over Bath at the Rec on Sunday.

Bears got off to the perfect start when Chris Vui went over after only four minutes. Alapati Leiua increased Bristol’s advantage after 16 minutes, before the visitors were reduced to 14 men when Joe Joyce was shown a yellow card.

A Rhys Priestland penalty kick was the last action of the half as the hosts trailed Bristol by 12-6 at the interval.

With 62 minutes on the clock Harry Randall went over to increase Bears advantage. Callum Sheedy converted to stretch Bristol’s lead to 13 points.

Despite Bath hitting back immediately when Will Chudley crossed, it wasn’t to be for the home side as Bears go marching on.