Friday, 5 February 2016

Aviva Premiership & Super League Friday 5th Feb 2016

Aviva Premiership 

Bath 11-15 Gloucester 

James Hook kicked all 15 points as Gloucester came from behind to beat Bath and inflict a sixth successive loss on their West Country rivals.

Bath, who reached last season's Premiership final but now sit ninth after 10 matches, led 8-0 after Dominic Day's try and Tom Homer's penalty.

Homer landed another kick after two Hook penalties to keep them 11-6 ahead.

But, in the wind and rain, three more kicks from Hook secured Gloucester's first win at The Rec since 2012.

Victory for the Cherry and Whites, which lifted them to fifth in the table, also ended Bath's run of five straight wins in the West Country derby, the most consecutive successes either side have ever managed over the other.

Mike Ford's team spent the first 13 minutes camped inside Gloucester's half and led 8-0 after Day eventually forced his way over behind a driving maul, but threw away a significant lead for the second week running, having squandered a 13-0 advantage to lose to Saracens last Saturday.

The Blue, Black and Whites have now won just two of their last 11 games in all competitions and have already clocked up seven Premiership losses this season - more than they suffered in the entire campaign in 2014-15.

They are now 14 points off the top four and, with six points also separating them and sixth-placed Wasps, may even face a tough task re-qualifying for the European Champions Cup.


But Gloucester, whose spirited second-half display was rewarded by Wales fly-half Hook's accuracy from the tee, continue their revival under director of rugby David Humphreys and have opened up a seven-point advantage over their local rivals in the table.


Super League

Hull 42-20 Salford

Eight different players scored tries for Hull FC in their convincing Super League victory over Salford.

Leon Pryce, Mahe Fonua, Jordan Thompson, Fetuli Talanoa, Carlos Tuimavave and Josh Bowden helped the home side a 26-6 half-time lead.

Josh Griffin scored Salford's only first-half try but they improved after the break, with Junior Sa'u scoring twice and Niall Evalds also going over.

Jack Logan and Jamie Shaul got on the scoresheet for the hosts.



St Helens 30-16 Huddersfield

St Helens began the Super League season with a five-try home win over Huddersfield Giants at Langtree Park.

Centre Mark Percival crossed twice for the 2014 champions, who were beaten in the semi-finals of both Super League and the Challenge Cup last season.

Atelea Vea, Jordan Turner and Luke Thompson also went over for the hosts, with former Hull FC player Turner scoring the 100th try of his career.

Huddersfield replied through Aaron Murphy, Ukuma Ta'ai and Jake Connor.

In tricky wet conditions, Saints avoided a repeat of the 40-4 humbling by the Giants on the opening day of the 2013 season.

But their win was tempered by the loss of influential hooker James Roby to a shoulder injury midway through the second half.

Huddersfield also lost key players to injury, with captain Danny Brough and full-back Scott Grix both failing to complete the match.


Giants coach Paul Anderson had been unable to select Joe Wardle, Craig Huby, Kyle Wood and Luke Robinson because of injuries.


Wigan 12-6 Catalans

Michael Mcllorum scored two tries as Wigan began the Super League season with victory over Catalans Dragons.

Mcllorum went over twice in as many minutes as last year's beaten Grand Finalists took a 10-point half-time lead in an error-strewn first half.

Justin Horo's try early in the second period brought the visitors back into the game, before Matty Smith's penalty gave Wigan a six-point lead.

The hosts could have won by more but had two tries ruled out.

They took the lead when Krisnan Inu gave the ball away and Mcllorum pounced to sneak over, before hooker Mcllorum combined with George Williams to dive over for his second try, helping Wigan into a 10-0 lead at half-time.

Catalans made a perfect start to the second half as Richie Myler's kick through was grabbed by Horo to score and Pat Richards, facing his former club on his 200th Super League appearance, added the extras.

Smith's penalty put Wigan six points ahead, while Dan Sarginson had a try ruled out by the video referee for a knock-on.


Catalans, who have only won twice at Wigan in Super League history, could have gone further behind late on but Liam Farrell's try was ruled out for a push by Josh Charnley.

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