Sunday, 1 May 2016

Aviva Premiership 29th April to 1st May 2016

Friday 29th April

Sale Sharks 11-12 Gloucester

Greig Laidlaw kicked Gloucester to victory over Sale to deliver a blow to the Sharks' Premiership top-six hopes and end their unbeaten home record.

Danny Cipriani, playing his last game at the AJ Bell Stadium before moving to Wasps, exchanged penalties with Laidlaw to make it 6-6 at half-time.

Johnny Leota's try put Sale ahead after the break, before a further Laidlaw penalty kept the visitors in touch.


And the Scotland captain landed a late fourth kick to snatch victory.


Saturday 30th April

Leicester Tigers 31-17 Worcester 

Leicester secured their place in the Premiership semi-finals for the 12th successive year with a bonus-point win over Worcester.

The hosts led 21-17 at the break with tries from Vereniki Goneva, Opeti Fonua and Telusa Veainu.

Bryce Heem and Andy Symons went over to keep Worcester in touch but as the weather worsened Leicester's pack gained the ascendency.


Will Evans secured the bonus point for Tigers and booked their play-off spot.


Northampton 15-14 Bath


Northampton moved up to fifth in the Premiership table thanks to a second-half comeback against Bath.

Saints dominated possession and territory in the first half but trailed 14-0 at the break through two converted tries from winger Jeff Williams.

After Bath's Chris Cook was sin-binned, Teimana Harrison touched down in the corner and a penalty from Stephen Myler reduced the arrears.


Mikey Haywood powered over late on and Myler converted to seal victory.


Sunday 1st May

Exeter 24-3 Wasps 

Exeter Chiefs won comfortably to sneak back in front of Wasps in the battle to claim second place in the Premiership table and earn a home semi-final.

In stretching Wasps' losing record at Sandy Park, Exeter atoned for their European Cup quarter-final defeat earlier this month with three tries.

Winger Olly Woodburn showed great strength down the left for the opener.

Having led 10-3 at the break, Exeter then scored two more second-half tries through Phil Dollman and Jack Nowell.

Full-back Dollman slipped two weak tackles to sail over 'Chris Ashton-style' under the posts before England winger Nowell ran in his first Chiefs try in five months.

Even then, having twice let big leads slip against Wasps this season, there was concern among home ranks that the London-based side might still come back. But the rampant Chiefs finished strongly, their only disappointment being that they failed to get a bonus-point fourth try.

Phil Dollman went under the posts in elaborate style for Exeter's second try at Sandy Park
Exeter now in the box seat for second

The Chiefs had two more efforts chalked off by the officials, the second contentiously when it appeared replacement James Short might have beaten Wasps full-back Rob Miller to touch down a kick though from Gareth Steenson, who earned a nine-point haul from three conversions and a first-half penalty.

But it leaves Exeter in the box seat, knowing that if they win against at Harlequins at The Stoop next weekend, then second place will be assured and, unlikely though it might be, they could even still finish top if leaders Saracens slip up.

On a day when they suffered only a second Premiership loss in 13 games since the turn of the year, following last week's Champions Cup semi-final loss to Saracens, Wasps' only points came from the boot of centre Elliot Daly.

A bonus-point win by the visitors would have ensured a home semi, but they had lost on all six previous trips to Sandy Park and the local form book proved spot on.

For the record . . .

Both clubs had already assured themselves of a top-four finish to claim a place in the Premiership semi-finals.

For Exeter, it is the first time they have made the semis, six seasons after being promoted to the English top flight, while Wasps are in the last four for the first time since winning the Premiership title in 2007-08.

Wasps' only win on Devon soil in competitive rugby remains their Pilkington Cup quarter-final at the old County Ground in February 1995.


The two sides have met three times this season, the first two of which were at the Ricoh Arena. The Chiefs won 41-27 in the Premiership in December, before Wasps made amends three weeks ago by winning 25-24 in the Champions Cup quarter-final. They may now meet again, most likely at Sandy Lane, in the semis.


London Irish 25-32 Harlequins (London Irish relegated)


London Irish suffered relegation from the Premiership as Harlequins battled to victory at the Madejski Stadium.

Quins ran in three tries in the opening 22 minutes as Charlie Walker crossed twice and Ross Chisholm dotted down.

The Exiles rallied with tries from Luke Narraway and Asaeli Tikoirotuma to only trail 22-15 at half-time.

David Paice's score then levelled matters for Irish before a late try from Quins prop Kyle Sinckler sent Irish down to the Championship.

It is the first time Irish have dropped out of England's top flight since 1994, having won just four of their 21 league games so far this season.

Head coach Tom Coventry took charge of Irish at the start of the season after they finished 10th last year, but it took until Boxing Day for them to win their first league game.

Harlequins, who are losing director of rugby Conor O'Shea this summer when he goes to Italy, secured a bonus point with Sinckler's fourth try which moves them up to sixth above Sale in the table.


They host second-placed Exeter on the final day of the campaign, while Irish are at third-placed Wasps.


Saracens 23-14 Newcastle Falcons


Saracens guaranteed top spot in the Premiership with a comeback win at home to Newcastle Falcons.

After Charlie Hodgson's early penalty put Sarries ahead, Marcus Watson scored two converted tries to put the visitors 14-3 up at half-time.

A brace of tries from Jackson Wray put the hosts back ahead before Maro Itoje's score secured victory.


Newcastle secured their top-flight status for next season despite defeat, as London Irish lost to Harlequins.

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