London Irish snatch dramatic draw against Saracens
PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Kyle Rowe scored a hat-trick of tries as 14-man London Irish snatched a sensational 34-all draw against Saracens .
Irish trailed 8-34 with less than a quarter of the match remaining, having lost Adam Coleman to a first-half red card, but somehow came back to earn a draw, with Rory Jennings kicking the final conversion to seal the comeback.
Saracens led 13-3 at half-time after Coleman was given his marching orders following a high and dangerous tackle on Jackson Wray.
The floodgates opened for the home side after the restart and a converted Mako Vunipola try gave them a seemingly impregnable 24-point lead.
But Rowe scored two more tries to complete his hat-trick in a late flurry of scoring.
The result hung on Jennings’ boot and he dispatched the extras to give Irish a thoroughly deserved draw.
London Irish director of rugby Declan Kidney said: “I think you need to watch the effort that goes in because there was a lot of good rugby.
“I think that’s a collective effort between players, coaches and the medical team having everyone in that condition against a top-class side like Saracens.”
Newcastle beat Exeter 15-14 to register their first-ever win at Sandy Park.
A 72nd-minute penalty by replacement fly-half Brett Connon sealed the win and sent the Chiefs to a third defeat in four home games.
Elsewhere, Sale beat Northampton 30-6 and Bristol recorded a 27-5 victory over Worcester.
Scores and scorers
Bristol 27-5 Worcester Warriors
Scorers
For Bristol
Tries: Fricker 2, Jeffries, Whiteley
Cons: Sheedy
Pen: Sheedy
For Worcester Warriors
Try: Heward
Saracens 34-34 London Irish
Scorers
For Saracens
Tries: Woolstencroft, Segun 2, Earl, M Vunipola
Cons: Lozowski 3
Pen: Lozowski
For London Irish
Tries: Rowe 3, Phipps, Rogerson
Cons: Jennings 3
Pen: Jennings
Sale Sharks 30-6 Northampton Saints
Scorers
For Sale Sharks
Tries: Van der Merwe, Yarde, Ross
Cons: MacGinty 3
Pens: MacGinty 3
Northampton Saints
Pens: Grayson 2
Exeter Chiefs 14-15 Newcastle Falcons
Scorers
For Exeter Chiefs
Tries: Simmonds, Armand
Cons: Simmonds 2
For Newcastle Falcons
Tries: McGuigan, Stevenson
Con: Hodgson
Pen: Hodgson
