VIDEO: Wiese red card has Bok coach sweating
SATURDAY WRAP: A red card for departing back row forward Jasper Wiese will leave Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus with a few sleepless nights.
The World Cup winner, Wiese, was red-carded for a tip-tackle in the 68th minute of the Tigers’ 40-22 Premiership win over Exeter Chiefs.
Wiese lifted opposing forward Ross Vincent up at a breakdown and drove the back row forward into the ground
Wiese’s dismissal, in what was his final game for the Tigers, means there will be an automatic hearing.
With no games in England, his next possible match is South Africa’s June Test against Wales at Twickenham and the two-Test series against Ireland in July.
* Meanwhile Sale Sharks overcame the early loss of Manu Tuilagi to secure a Premiership play-off place after ending a nearly 20-year wait for a league win away to reigning champions Saracens.
In what was a repeat of last season’s Final, Sale’s 20-10 victory on Saturday’s last day of the regular campaign came despite Tuilagi, celebrating his 33rd birthday, being forced off with a hamstring injury after 17 minutes.
There are now fears the powerhouse England centre’s season could be at end and that he will miss the semi-final against Bath on June 1 and a possible Twickenham final before his move to French club Bayonne.
But Sale supremo Alex Sanderson, trying to remain optimistic about Tuilagi’s prospects, said: “He has definitely pulled his hamstring, we just don’t know how badly.
“He is a quick healer, we know that and we have got two weeks to put ‘Humpty Dumpty’ back together again and we will give him as long as we can.”
Saracens’ defeat condemned them to a last-four clash away to Northampton on May 31 after both clubs kicked off on Saturday having already secured play-off berths.
This result also meant Saracens star Owen Farrell had played his last home game for the London club ahead of the former England captain’s post-season move to Paris-based Racing 92.
Saracens suffered a setback before kick-off when Scotland wing Sean Maitland, who announced on Friday he would be retiring at the end of the season, pulled out with a freak warm-up injury.
Tries from Tom Roebuck and Rob Du Preez saw Sale establish a 20-3 lead with 30 minutes left.
Saracens threatened a fightback when Marco Riccioni went over to make it a 10-point game.
But Sale held firm as they enjoyed a first away league win over Saracens since September 2005.
Bath secured their play-off place by scoring six tries in a 43-12 rout of Northampton.
Bristol overwhelmed Harlequins 58-23 and Leicester defeated Exeter 40-22 but results elsewhere denied the Bears and the Tigers a play-off spot.
No wins for Newcastle
(Continue below …)
This could be Jasper Wiese out for the Ireland series… pic.twitter.com/ejHXwdMf1W
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) May 18, 2024
Newcastle ended the Premiership season without a single win after a 54-14 loss at home to Gloucester.
Defeat meant Newcastle followed Rotherham (2003/04) and London Welsh (2014/15) in failing to post a solitary league win in a season.
Newcastle’s owners deliberately reduced their spending on players after three other Premiership clubs – Worcester, Wasps and London Irish – all went bust last season.
Given there was no realistic prospect of relegation they relied on a young and inexperienced squad, with the club prepared to suffer short-term pain in the hope of avoiding the extinct trio’s example.
For Gloucester, who suffered a humiliating 0-90 loss to Northampton last time out, this was a morale-boosting win ahead of next week’s European Challenge Cup final against South Africa’s Sharks.
“I was concerned about the scoreline last week and in the close season, I will need to review that in some detail as to how we conceded so many points,” said Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington.
“It was a totally different team and I thought we completed our league season with a bang.”
Defeat was a familiar story for Newcastle, with consultant boss Steve Diamond saying: “Realistically it’s the tale of our season as we have regularly failed to take our chances and it has certainly cost us.”
All Saturday’s scorers and scorers follow below …
Bath 43-12 Northampton Saints
The scorers
For Bath
Tries: Bayliss, Muir 2, Dunn, Spencer, Barbeary
Cons: Russell 4, Spence
Pen: Russell
For Northampton Saints
Tries: Ramm, Seabrook
Cons: Savala
The teams
Bath: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Will Muir, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Josh Bayliss, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Ted Hill, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano.
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Alfie Barbeary, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Miles Reid.
Northampton: 15 James Ramm, 14 Tom Seabrook, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Rory Hutchinson, 9 Tom James, 8 Sam Graham, 7 Lewis Ludlam (captain), 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Tom Lockett, 4 Temo Mayanavanua, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Smith, 17 Tarek Haffar, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Chunya Munga, 20 Tom Pearson, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Charlie Savala, 23 Toby Thame.
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Andrew Jackson
TMO: Ian Tempest
Gloucester 54-14 Newcastle Falcons
The scorers
For Gloucester
Tries: Mercer, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley, Blake, May, Hearle, Hathawa
Cons: Englefield 5, Varney, Socino
For Newcastle Falcons
Tries: Blamire, Moroni
Cons: Connon 2
The teams
Gloucester: 15 Josh Hathaway, 14 Jonny May, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Caolan Englefield, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Lewis Ludlow (captain), 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Freddie Thomas, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 2 Seb Blake, 1 Jamal Ford-Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Santi Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Ciaran Knight, 19 Albert Tuisue, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Alex Hearle, 23 Jake Morris.
Newcastle: 15 Louis Brown, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Ben Redshaw, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Guy Pepper, 6 Sam Cross, 5 John Hawkins, 4 Tim Cardall, 3 Eduardo Bello, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Adam Brocklebank.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Mark Dormer, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Adam Scott, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 James Elliott, 22 Rory Jennings, 23 Oli Spencer.
Referee: Sara Cox
Assistant referees: Joe James, Peter Allan
TMO: Dean Richards
Harlequins 28-53 Bristol Bears
The scorers
For Harlequins
Tries: Cunningham-South 2, Dombrandt, Northmore
Cons: Smith 4
For Bristol Bears
Tries: Williams, Genge, Ibitoye, Thacker, Lahiff, Heward, Oghre
Cons: Sheedy 3, Williams 3
Pens: Williams 2
The teams
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Luke Northmore, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Oscar Beard, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Will Evans, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Stephan Lewies (captain), 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Will Collier, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Fin Baxter.
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Simon Kerrod, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 George Hammond, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Will Porter, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Will Joseph.
Bristol: 15 Max Malins, 14 Noah Heward, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Fitz Harding (captain), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Batley, 4 James Dun, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Josh Caulfield, 20 Ben Grondona, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Virimi Vakatawa, Siva Naulago.
Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys, Jonathan Healy
TMO: Tom Foley
Leicester Tigers 40-22 Exeter Chiefs
The scorers
For Leicester Tigers
Tries: Hassell-Collins, Van Poortvliet, Reffell, Brown
Cons: Pollard 4
Pens: Pollard 2, Wilkinson 2
For Exeter Chiefs
Tries: Feyi-Waboso, Frost, Vintcent
Cons: Slade 2
Pen: Slade
The teams:
Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Mike Brown, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Harry Wells, 4 George Martin, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Julián Montoya (captain), 1 Francois van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 James Cronin, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Finn Carnduff, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Kieran Wilkinson, 23 Solomone Kata.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Dan John, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Tom Cairns, 8 Greg Fisilau, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Ethan Roots, 5 Dafydd Jenkins (captain), 4 Jack Dunne, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Max Norey, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 Niall Armstrong, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 Zack Wimbush.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, John Meredith
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Saracens 10-20 Sale Sharks
The scorers
For Saracens
Try: Riccioni
Con: Farrell
Pen: Farrell
For Sale Sharks’
Tries: Roebuck, du Preez
Cons: Ford 2
Pens: Ford 2
The teams:
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Tom Parton, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Theo McFarland, 21 Billy Vunipola, 22 Aled Davies, 23 Alex Goode.
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Tom O’Flaherty, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 JL du Preez, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Ben Curry (captain), 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 James Harper, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd.
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Ben Bamber, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 Sam James, 23 Arron Reed.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace, Simon Harding
TMO: David Rose
* Additional reporting by AFP
