Premiership wins for Wasps, Bath and Bristol

Editor

Wasps and Bath moved into the Premiership top four with victories over Sale and Northampton respectively on Saturday, while Bristol saw off Harlequins.

Bath 17-15 Northampton Saints

Bath edged Northampton Saints 17-15 at the Rec to continue their good run of form, with the teams having gone into the break level at 7-7.

Northampton drew first blood through Cobus Reinach, who scored the first try of the game in the 18th minute after kicking and chasing. Dan Biggar converted.

However, Bath responded in style 10 minutes later when Freddie Burns intercepted a pass just outside his own 22 and ran the length of the field to score and convert.

The hosts came out strongest after the break, with Burns extending their lead through a penalty before the in-form Joe Cokanasiga gave them some breathing space, receiving the ball from Elliott Stooke and going in for the try. Burns added the conversion before Biggar closed the gap with a 72nd minute penalty.

There was to be a late twist afterwards as Tom Collins scored a try six minutes later after being set up by Alex Mitchell’s offload. However, Biggar’s conversion attempt came off the woodwork, giving Bath the narrowest of victories.

The scorers:

For Bath:
Tries: Burns, Cokanasiga
Cons: Burns 2
Pen: Burns

For Northampton:
Tries: Reinach, Collins
Cons: Biggar
Pen: Biggar

Bath: 15 Darren Atkins, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Aled Brew, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Joe Cokanasiga, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Max Green, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Tom Ellis, 5 Luke Charteris (c), 4 Dave Attwood, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Zach Mercer, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Max Wright

Northampton: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Andrew Symons, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Teimana Harrison, 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 David Ribbans, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Dylan Hartley (cc), 1 Alex Waller (cc)
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Francois van Wyk, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Mitch Eadie, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Andrew Kellaway, 23 Harry Mallinder

Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Tom Foley, Simon McConnell
Television match official: David Grashoff

Bristol 20-13 Harlequins

Bristol Bears saw off Harlequins 20-13 at Ashton Gate, having led 11-10 at half-time, to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats.

The visitors started the game on the front foot and were rewarded for their early pressure when Danny Care went over for the first try of the game from a pick-and-go in the seventh minute.

A conversion and penalty from James Lang stretched the lead to 10-0, but it was downhill from there for Harlequins for the rest of the first-half.

First, a 19th minute Ian Madigan penalty put the hosts on the board. Then, Ben Tapuai was yellow-carded for a high tackle.

Bristol did not capitalise on their temporary numerical advantage, but momentum was with them and they finally scored their first try through Piers O’Conor in the 35th minute.

Madigan nailed a penalty to put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time and two more shortly after the break, which came after a yellow card to Joe Marler for a high tackle on Andy Uren. Lang responded with a penalty of his own, but the Bristol fly-half then popped over another.

Quins’ indiscipline continued and Paul Lasike was yellow-carded for a no-arms hit in the 78th minute. The visitors were ultimately made to pay for their mistakes, as they were unable to fight back.

The scorers:

For Bristol:
Try: O’Conor
Pens: Madigan 5

For Harlequins:
Try: Care
Con: Lang
Pens: Lang 2
Yellow Cards: Tapuai, Marler, Lasike

Bristol: 15 Piers O’Conor, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Alapati Leiua, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 George Smith, 6 Steve Luatua (c), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Ed Holmes, 3 John Afoa, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Yann Thomas
Replacements: 16 Nick Fenton-Wells, 17 Jake Woolmore, 18 Jake Armstrong, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Harry Randall, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Zane Kirchner

Harlequins: 15 Aaron Morris, 14 Nathan Earle, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Ross Chisholm, 10 James Lang, 9 Danny Care, 8 James Chisholm, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Luke Wallace, 5 Ben Glynn, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Max Crumpton, 1 Joe Marler
Replacements: 16 Dave Ward, 17 Mark Lambert, 18 Phil Swainston, 19 Stan South, 20 Renaldo Bothma, 21 Charlie Mulchrone, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Paul Lasike

Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Adam Leal, Jonathan Healy
Television match official: David Rose

Sale Sharks 13-31 Wasps

Wasps recovered from a shaky start to beat Sale 31-13 at the AJ Bell Stadium, having led 17-10 at half-time.

The visitors were hit by a yellow card in the first minute of the match, as Nathan Hughes was sin-binned for not rolling away near his own try-line.

Sale immediately capitalised on their early momentum and numerical advantage, as Jono Ross went over for the first try of the game from an attacking line-out in the second minute.

After a conversion and penalty from AJ MacGinty, in addition to a Lima Sopoaga penalty for Wasps, Nizaam Carr finally scored the visitors’ first try in the 34th minute of the game after a lovely pop-pass from Dan Robson, with Sopoaga adding the extras.

Wasps then took the lead on the stroke of half-time, with Michael Le Borgeois’ pass setting Josh Bassett up for the finish. Sopoaga converted from near the touchline.

MacGinty drew first blood after the break from a penalty, but Sale then lost Ben Curry to a yellow card for an early tackle on Willie le Roux. Will Stuart then scored from a pick-and-go from close range in the 52nd minute, with Sopoaga converting.

Hughes then added the cherry on top of the cake, forcing his way over from the back of the Wasps scrum and securing the bonus point try, with Sopoaga adding one last conversion.

The scorers:

For Sale Sharks:
Try: Ross
Con: MacGinty
Pens: MacGinty 2
Yellow Cards: B Curry

For Wasps:
Tries: Carr, Bassett, Stuart, Hughes
Cons: Sopoaga 4
Pen: Sopoaga
Yellow Card: Hughes

Sale: 15 Byron McGuigan, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Mark Jennings, 11 Marland Yarde, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Jono Ross (c), 7 Ben Curry, 6 Tom Curry, 5 James Phillips, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Cameron Neild, 1 Ross Harrison
Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Alexandru Tarus, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Luke James, 23 Arron Reed

Wasps: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Elliot Daly (c), 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Ashley Johnson, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Zurabi Zhvania
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Tom West, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Rob Miller

Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Philip Watters, Steve Lee
Television match official: Rowan Kitt