Exiles conquer Sarries fortress
London Irish became first side to beat Saracens at Allianz Park in a regular season Premiership game as two tries just before half-time humbled the league leaders.
Tries from Matt Parr, Alex Lewington and George Skivington gave the Exiles a 22-8 lead at half-time – the latter two coming in the final four minutes of the first half.
Saracens crossed in each half through Marcelo Bosch and Schalk Brits but strong defence from the visitors restricted their scoring opportunities, while Charlie Hodgson and James O'Connor also exchanged penalties.
London Irish had won only one of the last six games between the two sides but had only lost once since the turn of the year.
O'Connor's early penalty put the Exiles ahead but they were reduced to 14 men on nine minutes when Fergus Mulchrone was sent to the sin-bin after the visitors were penalised at the break-down for a fifth time in the opening minutes.
Saracens looked to take advantage of their numerical advantage and five minutes later they made their pressure pay. A quickly taken penalty five metres out was held up on the line but Charlie Hodgson spread the ball to Bosch on the overlap who went over for his first try for Saracens.
With Mulchrone back on the field the visitors grew into the game and they went ahead on 21 minutes through Parr's first Premiership try, the prop collecting Nic Rouse's off-load after clever play by Tomas O'Leary.
Hodgson reduced the gap to two points with a penalty after Blair Cowan had become the second Exile to be sent to the bin, but the visitors shocked the home side with two tries in the closing minutes of the half.
First Hodgson's kick on half-way was charged down and O'Leary collected to pass to winger Lewington who crossed in the corner.
And then Exiles captain Skivington went over on his 150th Premiership appearance, running on to his kick ahead after scrappy play in midfield saw the ball run loose.
With the wind now in their favour, Saracens looked to respond early in the second half and Chris Ashton was held up five metres out. Saracens recycled the ball but they were unable to find a way through the visitors' defence.
London Irish continued to threaten, Eamonn Sheridan breaking a couple of tackles to take play into the Saracens half, and strong forward play forcing a couple of turnovers.
Joel Tomkins made his return after three months out with a knee injury on 52 minutes but was unable to spark the Saracens back-line.
Brits crossed with five minutes remaining but it was merely consolation as London Irish recorded their fourth victory of the Premiership season.
The scorers:
For Saracens:
Tries: Bosch, Brits
Pen: Hodgson
For London Irish:
Tries: Parr, Lewington, Skivington
Cons: O'Connor 2
Pen: O'Connor
Saracens: 15 Ben Ransom 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Chris Wyles, 11 David Strettle 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert 7 Jacques Burger, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Steve Borthwick (captain), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Jamie George, 1 Richard Barrington.
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 James Johnston, 19 George Kruis, 20 Matt Hankin, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Joel Tomkins, 23 Jack Wilson.
London Irish: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Fergus Mulchrone, 12 Eamonn Sheridan, 11 Andrew Fenby, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Tomás O'Leary, 8 Ofisa Treviranus, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Kieran Low, 5 George Skivington, 4 Nic Rouse, 3 Jamie Hagan, 2 David Paice, 1 Matt Parr
Replacements: 16 Jimmy Stevens, 17 John Yapp, 18 Leo Halavatau, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Gerard Ellis, 21 Alex Lewington, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Sean Kennedy.
Referee: Dean Richards
Assistant Referees: Nigel Carrick, Andy Watson
TMO: Keith Lewis
Bath 24-6 Newcastle Falcons
Bath overcame the loss of several key personnel early in the game to run out comfortable 24-6 winners over Newcastle Falcons and extend their impressive home record.
It is more than four years since the Falcons last won at the Rec and they never looked like ending that run despite leading 6-3 shortly after the interval.
But a moment of class from George Ford got Bath's noses back in front and they went on to win comfortably with second-half tries from Horatio Agulla, Leroy Houston and Francois Louw at the death.
Kiwi Houston replaced Carl Fearns in the starting line-up after the England man suffered an injury in the warm-up.
And the game was only eight minutes old when Noah Cato caught Bath's Nick Abendanon in the face, forcing the full-back from the field to be replaced by Agulla, with Anthony Watson moving from the wing to the No.15 slot.
Rob Webber followed Abendanon off the field with a lower leg injury, Ross Batty replacing him as Bath faced 72 minutes without three of their first choice side.
It was a poor first half with a strong wind making it extremely hard for the kickers. Newcastle were penalised for going off their feet but Ford was unable to make them pay, his penalty fading to the right of the posts – the first of two successive misses.
When Will Welch knocked on a Scott Macleod pass in front of the posts handing Bath a dangerous scrum, the Falcons pack were pinged again for boring in and at the third attempt Ford found the uprights to make it 3-0 on 17 minutes.
It was no more than Bath deserved, having played the first quarter in Newcastle's half.
There was little between the sides – barring another missed Ford penalty – until five minutes from the break when Bath went offside in their own half and Falcons No.10 Phil Godman made no mistake to level things up against the run of play.
Newcastle went in a man down after Oliver Tomaszczyk was sent to the sin bin, the fall guy for persistent infringement from the Newcastle players.
But despite the disadvantage Newcastle took the lead upon the restart, Godman with another penalty after Watson was penalised for holding on in the tackle.
It looked like this game would be decided by the smallest of margins but with the weather clearing Bath began to play more positive rugby, and they scored the first try of the game seven minutes into the second half.
Ford bamboozled the Newcastle defence with a delightful show and go before playing a gorgeous pass to Agulla to steam over the line.
The flyhalf added the extras to give Bath a 10-6 advantage, and shortly afterwards it was 17-6 as Peter Stringer spun the ball wide from an attacking lineout with the ball going through the hands and ending with Houston who dived over the whitewash, Ford converting.
With Tomaszczyk back on the field Newcastle continued to defend and make life difficult for Bath but the introduction of Anthony Perenise to the Bath pack seemed to give the home side dominance up front.
Bath pushed for a third try with Perenise himself held up over the line, and Falcons persistence ensured it didn't arrive until a few seconds before the final whistle.
It was Francois Louw who got it, smuggling the ball over the line from close range with Ford converting to give the scoreline a healthy look for Bath.
The scorers:
For Bath:
Tries: Agulla, Houston, Louw
Cons: Ford 3
Pen: Ford
For Newcastle:
Pens: Ford 2
Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ollie Devoto, 12 Kyle Eastmond, 11 Matt Banahan, 10 George Ford, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Carl Fearns, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Stuart Hooper (captain), 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 Alafoti Fa'osiliva, 20 Leroy Houston, 21 Micky Young, 22 Gavin Henson, 23 Horacio Agulla
Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Warren Fury, 8 Mark Wilson, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Will Welch (captain), 5 Fraser McKenzie, 4 Scott MacLeod, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 2 Matt Thompson, 1 Rob Vickers
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Franck Montanella, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Sean Tomes, 20 Ally Hogg, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Adam Powell
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth
Assistant Referees:Paul Dix, Roy Maybank
TMO: David Grashoff
Exeter Chiefs 16-17 Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints left it late before claiming top spot in the Premiership thanks to George Pisi's dramatic converted try that shattered Exeter Chiefs' resistance.
After seeing Saracens slip up against London Irish earlier in the day, Saints looked set for the same fate after Dave Lewis' scored a 53rd-minute try and Gareth Steenson's conversion put the home side 16-10 up.
But with time fast running out Pisi ran the perfect line to pick up an inviting Kahn Fotuali'i pass and burrow over the line and Stephen Myler held his nerve to convert the winning points.
Northampton had set their sights on top spot following Saracens' slip-up against London Irish earlier in the day, and they had an early advantage as Exeter were reduced to 14 men.
Skipper Dean Mumm spent ten minutes in the sin bin after being penalised for stamping on Northampton No.8 Sam Dickinson.
But the home side continued to play the game in the visitors' half and took the lead through Steenson's penalty after Alex Waller was punished for a high tackle.
The Chiefs flyhalf was unable to make the most of a more difficult penalty attempt soon after and Saints were soon in front as Samu Manoa sent Kiwi fullback James Wilson over.
Myler's conversion attempt hit the outside of the left post, with the strong breeze playing a considerable part.
Northampton were having the better of the game and had their sights second on a second score when Dickinson burst through the middle, only to be stopped just short of the line.
Exeter mounted a riposte and after Steenson had missed another kick, the flyhalf finally found the target to put his team in front.
But they didn't hold the lead for long as Northampton mounted a charge towards the home line and Manoa kept his balance well to score in the corner.
Myler again missed a tough conversion against the wind before Steenson brought the Chiefs back to within a point after Salesi Ma'afu was punished for a high tackle.
Northampton held the lead going into the break, but they were hit by a sin-binning just three minutes after the restart as Greg Garner carded GJ van Velze for obstruction.
Exeter made their opponents pay as Wilson's sloppy pass on halfway gave them territory and after Dave Ewers was denied by the TMO, scrumhalf Lewis darted over the line.
Steenson made the kick in torrid conditions to put the Chiefs 16-10 up with 25 minutes left and Northampton had their work cut out.
The home side were defending resiliently, preventing the Saints getting any momentum past halfway.
But after a series of big scrums from the visiting pack, Pisi found a gap to cut through the Exeter rearguard.
Myler kept his nerve to secure a ninth successive win for his side and send them to the top of the Premiership table.
The scorers:
For Exeter Chiefs:
Try: Lewis
Con: Steenson
Pens: Steenson 3
For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Wilson, Manoa, G Pisi
Con: Myler
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Luke Arscott, 14 Matt Jess, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Phil Dollman, 11 Tom James, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Dave Lewis, 8 Kai Horstmann, 7 James Scaysbrook, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Damian Welch, 4 Dean Mumm (captain), 3 Alex Brown, 2 Jack Yeandle, 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Hoani Tui, 19 Don Armand, 20 Tom Johnson, 21 Haydn Thomas, 22 Henry Slade, 23 Fetu'u Vainikolo.
Northampton Saints: 15 James Wilson, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 George Pisi, 12 Dom Waldouck, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Sam Dickinson, 7 Phil Dowson (captain), 6 Calum Clark, 5 Christian Day, 4 Samu Manoa, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Mike Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Ross McMillan, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 GJ Van Velze, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 Alex Day, 22 Will Hooley, 23 Fa'atoina Auagavaia.
Referee: Greg Garner
Assistant Referees:Andrew Pearce, Kelvin Stewart
TMO: Ashley Rowden
