Saturday Wrap-Up
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Saturday Wrap-Up
Aviva Premiership
Sale Sharks 29-23 Harlequins
Quins blew a 4 point lead at half time as Sale Sharks went above their opponents in the table.
The opening 30 minutes was quite a lackluster encounter as Sale lead Quins 9-6, but a Tim Visser try before half time kicked the game into life and Quins lead 13-9.
Sale came back into the game with a well worked try from TJ Ioane after half time before Quins struck back through the boot of Botica to make it 16-16 with 30 to go.
The game came away from Quins with about 20 to go as Sale added 10 points in 3 minutes as Will Adison got over for the hosts. A Cipriani penalty with 10 to go pushed Sale's lead out to 13.
Quins came back in the late stages through Sam Egerton to claim a losing bonus point but Conor O'Shea's men have lost ground on the top 4 with this defeat.
Gloucester 13-10 Wasps
Gloucester made it 9 wins from their last 10 home games after an edgy win over Wasps.
The Cherry & Whites started the better of the two and were 10-0 up after 15 minutes thanks to a close range try from hooker Richard Hibbard. Gopperth instantly responded with a penalty for Wasps, but after that it was a relatively quiet first half.
Wasps started the second half well, a well finished Christian Wade try drew them level and they applied some good pressure.
Gloucester took the lead with just over 20 to go thanks to a Laidlaw penalty and held on with some strong defence as Wasps looked to steal the win.
Gopperth failed with a late drop goal attempt which means that with that win, Gloucester go into the top 6.
Saracens 15-20 Northampton Saints
Saints took four points away from Allianz Park in an ugly encounter with table toppers Saracens as they move into 4th.
In a first half that failed to get going, Saracens lead for the opening 35 minutes thanks to 2 penalties from Ben Spencer. Saints got on the board thanks to a Jamie Gibson charge down, which set up Stephen Myler on the next phase to squeeze over. Another Ben Spencer penalty before the break put the home side in front at the break 9-7.
In the second half, Saints used the wind to their advantage and played their rugby in the right parts of the field with a Lee Dickson try the deciding factor giving them a crucial 15-20 victory on the road.
Northampton's 3rd win at Allianz Park, they have contributed to half of Saracens defeats at home since 2013.
Bath 25-17 London Irish
London Irish's woes continued against Bath and they now look set for a massive fight to stay in the league.
Bath were very clinical in the first half, Matt Banahan dotting down twice in 10 minutes to setup a healthy 9 point lead after 30 mins. Bath added a 3rd in the first half after some great play from the backs and a flash offload from Tom Homer into Rokoduguni. 20-9 at the break to the hosts.
It was a quiet opening 20 mins in the second half until Bath got the all important 4th try as Leroy Houston dived over in the corner.
Irish responded late on with a penalty and an Alex Lewington try which setup Greig Tonks with the chance to steal a losing bonus point.
Tonks hit the post and Irish left with nothing in the end, a bad weekend for the side at the bottom.
PRO 12
Leinster 19-16 Ospreys
Leinster edged over the line against a spirited Ospreys side.
The boys in blue lead 16-3 at the break playing with a stiff breeze at their backs courtesy of a Dan Leavy try.
The second half was a different story as the Ospreys worked their way into the game, courtesy of the clinical kicking of Sam Davies in difficult conditions.
A Dan Baker try with 20 to go put Ospreys within 3 but in the end Madigan stepped up to kick a vital penalty which kept Ospreys 6 points adrift.
Sam Davies added another late kick but Leinster's defence held on to keep the winning momentum going and the pressure on Connacht at the top.
Munster 26-5 Newport Gwent Dragons
Munster kept pressure up on the top 4 with an important BP win over Newport Gwent Dragons in Limerick.
The home side went over twice in the first half, Dave Kilcoyne scoring first with Keatley missing the conversion and Rory Scannell showing strength to grab a second. Keatley converted this one and Munster lead 12-0 at the break.
Kilcoyne grabbed a second early in the second half darting over from close range but Dragons struck back straight away as Hallam Amos went over in the corner.
Munster pushed hard for the bonus point late on and eventually got over in the 78th minute thanks to a hard drive from James Cronin.
