Aviva Premiership Round 8 Round Up

Harlequins 12 – 16 Sale Shark

Round eight of the Aviva Premiership kicked off under the Friday Night Lights at The Stoop where Sale recorded their first away win against Harlequins in four years.

It was the battle of the fly halves in the first half as Nick Evans outscored Danny Cipriani by four penalties to three and with 10 minutes to go the hosts were leading 12 – 9.

Then the only try of the game came as Sharks captain Dan Braid span round the Quins defence to crash over with Cipriani adding the conversion.

This was the fourth defeat in the season for Conor O’Shea’s men.

Scorers

Harlequins

Penalties: Evans (4)

Sale Sharks

Tries: Braid

Conversions: Cipriani

Penalties: Cipriani (4)

Newcastle Falcons 20 – 10 Gloucester Rugby

In the other Friday night game at Kingston Park Newcastle came back from an early try to continue their resurgence in the Aviva Premiership.

Gloucester got off to the perfect start as Rory Clegg’s poor clearance kick was charged down by Matt Kvesic for prop John Afoa to score for the time in the Premiership with Billy Burns adding the extras.

The boot of Clegg came back to haunt the Cherry and Whites as four penalty kicks gave the Falcons a 12 – 7 lead on 42 minutes.

Two minutes later the hosts got their only try of the game after some great passing and build up play the ball got to winger Sinoti Sinoti who scored his fourth try of the season.

However, the brilliant Falcons defence held on for the win dispite pressure from the Gloucester attack.

Scorers

Newcastle Falcons

Tries: Sinoti

Penalties: Clegg (5)

Gloucester Rugby

Tries: Afoa

Conversions: Burns

Penalties: Burns

Exeter Chiefs 31 – 15 Wasps

After humiliating London Welsh last week, Wasps were given a reality check by Exeter who were still on a high after beating Northampton the previous week.

Chiefs got off to an early lead thanks to some quick thinking by scrum half Will Chudley to send Jack Norwell through to touch down.

While Wasps showed their attacking flair as Rob Miller scored in the corner to make it 10 – 8. However, Miller became the villain on the 30 minute mark as winger Norwell shrugged off a poor tackle by the fullback to score his second of the game.

Thomas Waldrom scored his seventh try in eight games and it was also the hosts third try of the first half as the number eight grounded the ball from a powerful rolling maul as they went into the break leading 25 – 3.

The only try of the second half came after Wasps replacement hooker Tim Lindsay crossed over the whitewash.

Exeter held on and calmed their sixth Premiership win of the season.

Scorers

Exeter Chiefs

Tries: Norwell (2), Waldrom

Conversions: Steenson (2)

Penalties: Steenson (4)

Wasps

Tries: Miller, Lindsay

Conversions: Lozowski

Penalties: Goode

London Irish 22 – 33 Bath Rugby

Bath Rugby are on level points with Exeter in third place following the victory against London Irish.

It was the battle of the boot in the first 26 minutes with Bath’s fly half Gavin Henson outscoring Irish’s Shane Geraghty 9 – 3.

When Nathan Catt was forced off for the visitors with a broken arm, his replacement Nick Auterac made an instant impact as the referee awarded a penalty try from the resulting scrum and Bath went into the break leading 16 – 6.

The first minute of the second half the West County side got their second try of the game as prop Henry Thomas showed great pace to score his first try in a Bath shirt.

Irish replied quickly by scoring their first try of the game as hooker David Paice crushed over and with Geraghty adding the conversion and a penalty as the hosts reduce the score to seven points.

With 10 minutes to go the away side opened a healthy lead as Chris Cook showed pace and great balance to score. 

However, when they were reduced to 14 men with Dominic Day sin – binned, Irish took advantage with James Short scoring his first try in an Irish shirt since his summer move from Wasps.

Despite a lot of pressure Bath held on for the victory.

Scorer

London Irish

Tries: Paice, Short

Conversions: Geraghty (2)

Penalties: Geraghty (3)

Bath Rugby

Tries: Penalty, Thomas, Cook

Conversions: Henson (3)

Penalty: Henson (4)

Saracens 24 – 31 Northampton Saints

Click the link for the full match report –  http://donttouchtheball.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/saints-held-their-faith-to-do-impossible.html

London Welsh 5 – 25 Leicester Tigers

London Welsh are still looking for their first win of the season, but were much improved against the Tigers.

He hosts got off to a perfect start as Seb Jewell’s well weighted cross field kick was well collected by Nick Scott to score.

Leicester showed their strength with a rolling maul with the ball grounded by Harry Thacker and then Thacker was at it again, touching down for the second time from another rolling maul.

In the second half, the Tigers got their third try of the game with Graham Kitchener using his strength to get out of two tackles to dive over the try line.

The visitors got the bonus point and it came from another rolling maul and this time the ball was grounded by Robert Barbieri.

In this boring game the win moved Leicester up to fifth.

Scorers

London Welsh

Tries: Scott

Leicester Tigers

Tries: Thacker (2), Kitchener, Barbieri

Conversions: Bell (3)