Leigh Halfpenny inspires Harlequins to easy win as Saracens and Northampton also seal victories

Wales and Lions legend Leigh Halfpenny starred on his Harlequins home debut, scoring a first Premiership try in a 28-14 bonus-point victory over Newcastle.

Halfpenny joined Quins from the Crusaders in the summer and impressed on his first appearance at the Stoop in the Famous Quarters as he latched onto a pass from young wing Cassius Cleaves to race over for his side’s third try.

Young hooker Nathan Jibulu, flanker Will Evans and scrum-half Will Porter were also amongst the tries in the win, with Marcus Smith slotting all four conversions to help seal what became a relatively straightforward victory for Quins.

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For Newcastle, however, it was their second Premiership defeat of the new season and 23rd in a row. It is now 554 days since they last savoured a taste of league success with a win over Gloucester in March 2023.

Steve Diamond’s side did managed to cross the whitewash twice through John Hawkins and Ben Redshaw with Ethan Grayson converting both tries after replacing fly-half Brett Connon, who sustained an injury in the warm-up.

Lock Hawkins rounded off a series of phases as Newcastle surged upfield to charge over and Grayson converted. However, that was as good as it got for the visitors as Quins woke from their stupor and took firm control,

Hooker Jibulu began the recovery as he powered over for their opening try with their first real attack of the contest.

Falcons wing Adam Radwan left the field for an HIA, which he passed, and Quins took the lead with flanker Evans forcing his way over from close range.

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Smith converted and did the same when another cutting, decisive Quins attack saw wing Cleaves show off his pace before slipping the ball to Halfpenny to surge over the line to put Quins 21-7 ahead at half-time.

And the home side had the bonus point sewed up just a minute into the second half with Porter’s try after Cleaves and Oscar Beard combined to put him over.

Falcons lost full-back Elliott Obatoyinbo to the sin bin for a high tackle on Halfpenny but they responded positively with a strong break up-field and replacement Redshaw produced a diving finish for a try converted by Grayson.

Halfpenny had another try ruled out for offside in the build-up while Falcons tried hard to work their way back into the contest, but were unable to create enough try-scoring opportunities to avoid enduring another frustrating defeat.

Saracens hammer Sale

Alex Lozowski’s 22-point haul helped Saracens beat Sale 45-26 in their first home match of the new Premiership season.

Saracens were looking to build on a 35-26 triumph over Gloucester in their opening match of the campaign, but they got off to a difficult start at the StoneX Stadium.

The hosts were 3-0 down after just four minutes when England fly-half George Ford kicked a penalty from in front of the posts.

The Sharks number 10 had a chance to increase the lead a minute later with another shot at goal but, on this occasion, his effort fell just short.

Ford’s afternoon took an unexpected turn in the seventh minute when he was forced to withdraw due to injury in an early blow for the visitors.

Lozowski twisted the knife and got the hosts back on level terms with a successful penalty of his own.

However, Sale moved 10-3 ahead in the 21st minute when Gus Warr got on the end of a flowing Sharks move before crossing the whitewash to score.

Elliot Daly kicked a long-range penalty to reduce the deficit as Sarries looked for an immediate response and it was 10-9 moments later when Lozowski slotted his second penalty of the afternoon.

Sale then lost flanker Sam Dugdale to a yellow card for a high tackle on Ben Earl in the closing stages of the half, and Lozowski kicked the resulting penalty to put the hosts ahead for the first time.

But Sale hit back again and Robert du Preez kicked a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give his team a one-point advantage at the break.

The game continued to ebb and flow and Mark McCall’s side moved 15-13 ahead within minutes of the restart as Lozowski converted another penalty from in front of the posts.

Another successful Lozowski strike extended Sarries’ lead to five points and Tobias Elliott then scored his side’s opening try in the 53rd minute to compound Sharks’ misery.

Lozowski’s conversion made it 25-13 but Du Preez slotted his second penalty to reduce the deficit to nine points.

Sale hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie set up a tense final 20 minutes when he placed the ball over the try line from the back of a driving maul.

Saracens responded with their second try of the match when England back Daly latched on to a grubber kick before powering over the whitewash to make it 30-21.

The momentum was with the hosts, and after winning a penalty with a dominant showing at the scrum, they opted to kick for the corner rather than take the points.

The risk paid off as Jamie George powered over from the back of the driving maul to give his side a two-try cushion.

Another Lozowski penalty made it 38-21 but Sharks thought they had the final say as Tom O’Flaherty crossed in the corner.

However, Dugdale was shown a second yellow after the clock had turned red before Daly crossed again to wrap up Saracens’ win.

Northampton hold off Exeter to clinch first win of the season

Defending Premiership champions Northampton Saints got their campaign on track after sealing a 30-24 home victory over Exeter Chiefs in Saturday’s late match.

Northampton appeared to be cruising with the score 30-10 in their favour, but England flyer Immanuel Feyi-Waboso crossed for two converted tries in eight minutes to set up a tense finish.

Saints’ first try of the season at Franklin’s Garden came in the ninth minute when a line-out move saw South African number eight Juarno Augustus gallop deep into Exeter territory before offloading to lock Alex Coles to cross next the posts, with fly-half Fin Smith converting.

Saints showed their eagerness to keep the scoreboard moving when they opted for the posts when awarded a penalty almost on halfway and Smith’s boot put them into double figures.

Chiefs were building attacks well but on three occasions when they got into the Saints’ 22, they were penalised for not releasing the ball in the tackle.

The closest they came to scoring came just past the midway point of the first half when young winger Paul Brown-Bampoe – making his first Premiership start – made a 50-metre break down the left touchline, but Smith got back well to halt him.

Another Smith penalty after a scrum infringement by Exeter right in front of the posts stretched Northampton’s lead to 13 points, and they appeared to be comfortably keeping Chiefs at bay as half-time approached.

However, fly-half Harvey Skinner sold a dummy in midfield and created the space to send Olly Woodburn – playing out of position at centre due to Exeter’s extensive injury list – under the posts, with Josh Hodge converting to leave Exeter only seven points adrift at the break.

The Chiefs changed the whole of their front row at the interval and it took them only three minutes to eat further into that gap with a 53-metre penalty by Hodge.

However, Saints’ riposte was instant, straight from the restart, when lock Chunya Munga charged down scrum-half Sam Maunder’s attempted box kick to cross for a 20-10 lead.

Four minutes later, Saints seemingly put the game beyond Exeter’s reach when a cross-field kick by England full-back George Furbank found Scotland centre Rory Hutchinson loitering on the touchline to dot down.

Smith’s 35-metre drop-goal on the hour made it 17 points in 15 minutes for Saints as they eased well clear.

Feyi-Waboso was denied a try in the corner by England team-mate Tommy Freeman, but moments later he did cross despite hints of a knock-on in the build-up by Woodburn, with Hodge converting off the post.

Hutchinson was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Woodburn with three minutes left and from the scrum Exeter took from the penalty, Feyi-Waboso was given the room to get over for his second touchdown to get them to within bonus-point range and hope of victory, but time ran out.

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