Ashton double puts Sarries on top
They did this with a 22-12 victory over Harlequins in front of 80,650 spectators at Wembley.
* In other Saturday matches Freddie Burns scored 20 points as Leicester Tigers claimed a 30-24 victory over Northampton Saints in a fiery East Midlands Derby at Franklin's Gardens.
* And Christian Wade scored six tries on his 100th Wasps appearance as Dai Young's men climbed into second-place in the Premiership standings with an astonishing 54-35 bonus-point win over Worcester Warriors in a 14-try thriller at Sixways.
We look at all the Saturday matches:
Saracens 22-12 Harlequins
Chris Ashton crossed for a first-half double as Saracens all but secured a home Premiership semi-final with victory over Harlequins in front of 80,650 spectators at Wembley.
Defeat for Quins effectively ends their chances of making the top four – all their points coming from the boot of Ben Botica.
But it was the razor sharp Ashton – who scored two tries either side of a George Kruis score in the first half – that made the difference.
Man of the match Alex Goode also impressed for Mark McCall's men who could not find a bonus point fourth try in the second half but stretch their lead at the top of the table to four points.
Quins have met Saracens four times at Wembley and not beaten them there since 2012 but they took the lead on Saturday – Botica slotting over a fifth-minute penalty after the Quins scrum got a nudge on.
Saracens were playing most of the rugby however and they got the game's first try in the 13th minute as Ashton showed superb work rate to come off his right wing, collect Goode's flat pass and dive over in the left corner.
Charlie Hodgson – on his 250th career Premiership appearance – missed with the extras and when Botica slotted a second penalty soon after Quins were back in front at 6-5.
Conor O'Shea's side were winning the battle at the breakdown and scrum time, but unable to turn a number of penalties into any meaningful threat.
Sarries by contrast were ruthless and they grabbed a second try in bizarre style – Danny Care left completely exposed at the back of a ruck on his own try line and his England colleague George Kruis collared him, ripped the ball from his grasp and dived over to score.
Quins – who had lost Tim Visser to a head knock in the first period – trailed 12-6 when Hodgson added the extras.
Botica's flawless goal-kicking up the other end continued when Michael Rhodes was pinged at the breakdown – his third penalty trimming Sarries lead back to three points.
But before the interval, Sarries struck again and it was that man Ashton. Schalk Brits conjured a fantastic break down the left, and his ball back inside released Ashton who again had come inside looking for work off his right wing.
He strolled over under the posts and when Hodgson added the extras Sarries went in at the break with a 19-9 lead.
The start of the second half needed a Quins response and Botica's fourth penalty trimmed the lead one more to only seven points.
Goode then needed to be alert to hold off Ross Chisholm in a foot race for a loose ball but Quins kept coming.
Their scrum was still on top and Sarries were forced to replace their whole front row while Owen Farrell was also introduced.
And Mark McCall's side gradually weathered the storm with the irrepressible Goode carrying and kicking with real invention.
But neither side could conjure another score as the hour mark came and went – a Marland Yarde clean break the closest either side came to a telling intervention.
And in the closing stages Quins replacement Dave Ward was pinged at the breakdown allowing Farrell to slot the penalty and seal victory.
Botica was then off target with the final play of the game with a long-range penalty that would have got Quins a losing bonus point as their focus now turns to their European Challenge Cup semi-final against Grenoble.
The scorers:
For Saracens:
Tries: Ashton 2, Kruis
Cons: Hodgson 2
Pen: Farrell
For Harlequins:
Pens: Botica 4
Teams:
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Jackson Wray, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 George Kruis, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Petrus Du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola (captain).
Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Samu Vunisa, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Nick Tompkins.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Ben Botica, 9 Danny Care (captain), 8 Nick Easter, 7 Jack Clifford, 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 Sam Twomey, 4 Charlie Matthews, 3 Will Collier, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Mark Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 George Merrick, 20 Mat Luamanu, 21 Karl Dickson, 22 Matt Hopper, 23 Ross Chisholm.
Referee: Gregory Garner
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Andy Watson
TMO: Geoffrey Warren
Northampton Saints 24-30 Leicester Tigers
Freddie Burns scored 20 points as Leicester Tigers claimed a 30-24 victory over Northampton Saints in a fiery East Midlands Derby at Franklin's Gardens.
Tigers' win confirms Exeter Chiefs' first ever top four finish and leaves Saints eight points adrift of fourth-placed Leicester with two games remaining.
Harry Thacker's superb individual score lit up a previously tight first-half before the excellent Teimana Harrison replied for Jim Mallinder's side, but a loose Luther Burrell off-load handed Vereniki Goneva an interception try that restored Tigers' advantage.
A tighter second-half sprung to life when George Pisi muscled over and Burns sealed victory when he finished a brilliant team move from Tigers, though Saints rallied superbly at the end.
Cockerill's side look certain to finish in the top four and victory of any kind against Worcester Warriors at Welford Road next weekend will see them return to the Premiership semifinals.
Marcos Ayerza, Dan Cole and Thacker initially got the upper-hand in a keenly-anticipated scrum battle, winning a penalty which Burns knocked over after ten minutes.
Thacker then turned the tide in Tigers' favour with a moment of magic after 14 minutes, the hooker bellied the number on his back as he attacked blind from half-way, stepped through the Saints line, and then with Goneva in support gave a hint of show and turned on the after-burners to go under the posts. Burns converted.
Tigers looked galvanized by the score and Thacker continued to excel with ball-in-hand, while Dom Barrow thumped away at the Saints line and Goneva was at his electric best.
It was a superb turnover from loosehead Alex Waller that brought Saints back into the game before Stephen Myler got Saints on the board with a penalty inside the 22.
With Northampton building nicely, Burrell hit a superb line against the grain to burst through the Leicester line, but was hauled down short and when the ball was recycled Harrison went over for a score which Myler converted from the touchline.
Northampton looked to be running riot as Tom Wood made a break down the touch-line, but as they moved back across field, Burrell was caught in possession and carelessly threw a blind off-load which Goneva picked off and the giant Fijian was free to canter home from inside his own half. Burns converted to put Tigers 17-10 ahead after 28 minutes.
To Saints credit, they appeared unflustered by the Leicester sucker-punch and Courtney Lawes' excellent take from the restart put them on the front foot once more and Harrison was almost through in midfield, only for Leicester to reorganise and repel the attack.
Myler pegged Tigers back with a penalty just on the stroke of half-time.
Burns then restored Leicester's seven-point buffer six minutes into the second-half, but it was Northampton who continued to grow into the game.
Scrumhalf Tom Kessell was dictating tempo superbly for Saints in the absence of Lee Dickson and as he ratcheted up the intensity.
Tigers conceded a flurry of penalties close to their line and with the pressure mounting, Pisi was eventually able to cross in the corner, but Myler failed to draw the scores level after a nervy-looking conversion attempt.
Burns and Myler then traded penalties before Leicester took charge as the game moved into its final quarter.
It was the Tigers fly-half who made easy yards through the Northampton mid-field before Ben Youngs picked up the attacking pace and a powerful Goneva pick and go took them within five yards.
As they attacked the blind-side, a sharp Manu Tuilagi pass cut out the Saints blitz and sent Burns over. He then added the extras to move Tigers to 30-21 with 15 minutes remaining.
Substitute JJ Hanrahan's penalty brought Saints within a score to set up a grand-stand finish, but they were unable to get a decisive third try.
The scorers:
For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Harrison, G Pisi
Con: Myler
Pens: Myler 3, Hanrahan
For Leicester Tigers:
Tries: Thacker, Goneva, Burns
Cons: Burns 3
Pens: Burns 3
Teams:
Northampton: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Tom Kessell, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Tom Wood (captain), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Christian Day, 4 James Craig, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Reece Marshall, 17 Campese Ma'afu, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Victor Matfield, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 JJ Hanrahan, 22 Harry Mallinder, 23 Tom Collins.
Leicester Tifers: 15 Mathew Tait (captain), 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Dom Barrow, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Greg Bateman, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Owen Williams, 23 Adam Thompstone.
Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Paul Dix, Roy Maybank
TMO: Sean Davey
Worcester Warriors 35-54 Wasps
Christian Wade's scored six tries on his 100th Wasps appearance as Dai Young's men climbed into second-place in the Premiership standings with an astonishing 54-35 bonus point win over Worcester Warriors in a 14-try thriller at Sixways.
It was another stunning attacking performance from Young's men – they had secured their bonus point, and Wade his hat-trick, within 30 minutes – and though Warriors kept in touching distance on the scoreboard, the Champions Cup semi-finalists looked a class apart.
Wade – who had just five tries for the season before the game began – moved onto 11 for the season and within two of Thomas Waldrom at the head of the Premiership charts.
Mills put Dean Ryan's side within two minutes, but scores from Wade and Halai were just reward for Wasps' supremacy. Francois Hougaard pulled one back for the hosts, before Wade ultimately put the result beyond doubt with two more tries, ably supported by Elliot Daly's boot.
Cooper Vuna struck for the Warriors, but Wade scored his fourth – and the seventh try of the half – just before half-time to more or less secure Wasps' fifth successive Premiership victory.
Andy Symons, Bryce Heem and captain Gerrit-Jan Van Velze crossed for Ryan's men, but Wade's 50th and 51st Premiership tries meant the result never looked in doubt despite Alex Lozowski and Carl Kirwan trading late scores.
Mills struck his first penalty after JP Doyle penalised Wasps for hands in the ruck, but Young's side – fresh from their stunning last minute victory over Exeter Chiefs in the Champions Cup – looked incredibly comfortable in possession and the warning lights were flashing for Worcester when Halai coasted through a gap in their makeshift midfield of Bryce Heem and Mills.
Wasps' imperious backs soon made their superiority tell after their forwards stole Warriors' line-out and Jackson – a late replacement for Jimmy Gopperth – moved the ball wide to Daly before Halai crossed superbly in the corner and Daly added the extras.
Full-back Miller – sensational against Northampton Saints last time out in the Aviva Premiership – then unlocked the Worcester defence with a great break, shifting the ball to Robson and Wade was on hand to race over for his first.
Ryan's men looked like getting back into the game with just under 15 minutes left in the half when Francois Hougaard capitalised on some strong work from the Worcester pack and darted over from close range before Tom Heathcote added the extras to bring them within four points.
Wade dampened the Warriors' fight-back by grabbing his second moments later. Warriors though, had themselves to blame, Doyle blew up after a deliberate knock-on and when Jackson tucked the ball into the corner, Young's pack drove close before the ball was recycled and Wade crossed again.
And the wing completed his hat-trick with a moment of individual magic. Piutau's flat pass found Wade in space, the wing then nudged over Pennell's head and outpaced the former England full-back to collect the ball and dive over. Daly missed the conversion.
Pennell restored some pride with his speed of thought as half-time beckoned – his instinctive pass found Vuna and the powerful wing stepped inside and reached over to score. Heathcote was off target with the conversion, leaving the score at 26-15.
To the disbelief of the Sixways faithful, there was time for Wade to score his fourth try before half-time. Daly, starting at inside-centre, made a magnificent outside break and dropped a perfect grubber kick through, which Wade collected ahead of Vuna to dive over. Daly added the extras to extend the gap to 33-15.
Worcester started brightly after half-time, Symons collecting Hougaard's flat-pass to burrow over, but Wade intercepted in midfield with ten minutes gone and unsurprisingly, finished from 50 metres out. Jackson converted.
It almost beggared belief when Piutau then intercepted and looked to be clear only to send Wade clear for his sixth try and Jackson converted to take Wasps 27 points clear.
Captain Van Velze grabbed a consolation – and the game's 11th try – for Ryan's side with just over 20 minutes remaining and then Bryce Heem gave the crowd at Sixways more to cheer about before Lozowski crossed for Wasps' eighth and final try.
Kirwan crossed from the back of a strong Warriors maul, but Lamb missed his conversion after misjudging the wind.
The scorers:
For Worcester Warriors:
Tries: Hougaard, Vuna, Symons, Van Velze, Heem, Kirwan
Con: Heathcote
Pen: Mills
For Wasps:
Tries: Halai, Wade 6, Lozowski
Cons: Jackson 3, Daly 3, Lozowski
Teams:
Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Pennell, 14 Tom Biggs, 13 Bryce Heem, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Cooper Vuna, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze (captain), 7 Carl Kirwan, 6 Phil Dowson, 5 Darren Barry, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Val Rapava Ruskin.
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Na'ama Leleimalefaga, 18 James Johnston, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Luke Baldwin, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Andy Symons.
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Charles Piutau, 12 Elliot Daly, 11 Frank Halai, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Thomas Young, 6 James Haskell (captain), 5 Bradley Davies, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 1 Matt Mullan.
Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Tom Bristow, 18 Simon McIntyre, 19 Will Rowlands, 20 Sam Jones, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Alex Lozowski, 23 Brendan Macken.
Referee: JP Doyle
Assistant referees: Andrew Pearce, Simon McConnell
TMO: David Grashoff
Source: @premrugby
