Saturday Wrap-Up
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Saturday Wrap-Up
Aviva Premiership
Sale Sharks 38-10 London Irish
First game of the day saw Sale Sharks and London Irish meet. On a day that started out very windy, Sale Sharks take the lead early on after a a try from prop Mujati. The conversion missed being a sure sign of things to come as the weather began to worsen with strong rain. Irish got themselves back into the game with a penalty try, that was converted by Geraghty, just before half ,time to bring the scores to 12-10 to Sale going into the break following T.J. Loane's try which added to the early points. But after the break it was all Sale. Tries from Tuitupou, James, and two tries from Edwards saw Sale pull away in a half where the sun began to come out. In the end the home side where to strong and ran out eventual 38-10 winners.
Gloucester 18-19 Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers having trailed for most of the match managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat as a last minute try from replacement prop Mulipola and a huge conversion from Tommy Bell saw them move into the lead for the first time in the game to win by a single point, giving Gloucester a rare taste of defeat at home and a sole losing bonus point. It was an attritional contest throughout as the mercurial James Hook ran the show for the home side. Tigers showed their big game experience to stay in touch despite Freddie Burns having a poor day from the tee. Man of the match Matt Tait led admirably for the Tigers and was crucial to their comeback
Saracens 19-13 Bath
Saracens produced their biggest comeback in the Aviva Premiership as they overcame Bath at Allianz Park. Bath started the brighter of the two, Tom Homer got over early one as they went onto score thirteen unanswered points in the first half. A response from Saracens was inevitable however and they burst out of the blocks in the second half applying wave upon wave of pressure which paid off through the boot of Hodgson and through a try from Brits which leveled the game. Two penalties in the final 10 minutes from the retiring Charlie Hodgson put Sarries in the lead and led them to the win. This victory adds to Saracens' unbeaten record at Allianz Park.
PRO 12
Zebre 12-16 Munster
Irish side Munster claimed a much needed win over Zebre, all though it was not all plain sailing for them. Munster took the lead early on over a debatable try from lock Mark Chisholm, which the TMO deemed ok. After Zebre went into a 9-7 lead, Kelly Haimona penalising Munster's poor discipline. Haimona added one more penalty and Keatley added 2, leaving the score 13-12 to Munster at the break. In a scrappy second half from both teams, no team showed an y attacking edge, with a drop goal from Ian Keatley being the only points of the second half. Munster claimed a 16-12 win, but looked far from convincing.
Connacht 30-17 Scarlets
Connacht weathered a second-half Scarlets resurgence to come away victors at the Sportsground. The win propels them to level par with Scarlets at the top the table and strengthens their chances of a top 4 finish. The Connacht pack dominated this evening, bullying the Scarlets 8 and securing all 4 tries for a BP - Heenan (twice), Buckley and Ah You all crossing. Scarlets, suffering a depleted squad due to international duties, will be disappointed not to have earned a losing bonus point, after pushing Connacht close in the second half.
Treviso 13-32 Ulster
After a scrappy, low scoring first half, Ulster came out firing in the second half to gain a strangle hold of the game. The Ulster pack got on top to allow their backline show it's pace and cut up the Treviso defence as they scored four tries to secure the bonus-point win. Ulster will be reasonably pleased to leave Italy with all 5 points and move into the top 4 of the PRO 12 but will be ecstatic to see Stuart Olding back after so long out.
Cardiff Blues 10-3 Edinburgh
In what was a very scrappy game from both sides, Cardiff come away with a win in front of a lively Cardiff Arms Park. The homes side proved the more clinical of the two and could even afford to leave two try scoring chances go a begging. The visitors pushed hard late on but the game came to an end with Phil Burleigh busting into the Cardiff 22 but loosing the ball forward in contact. The series of errors at the end from both sides typified the type of game this evening.
Dan Hayes
