Wasps in the top-four, Saracens secure home semi-final

It was a good day for both Wasps and Saracens in the Premiership as the former secured their play-off qualification, while the latter will have a home semi-final.

London Irish 14-51 Saracens
Madejski Stadium

Saracens secured a home semi-final, scoring seven tries in a dominant 51-14 victory over already-relegated London Irish at the Madejski Stadium.

The Londoners were made to work in the first half, despite initially taking a 13-0 lead, but eventually pulled away in the second period.

Mark McCall’s men went ahead via an Owen Farrell penalty, after Josh McNally had been sin-binned for the Exiles, before Brad Barritt and Duncan Taylor went over.

Irish could have folded but they got back into the contest as Joe Cokanasiga touched down and, although Farrell added a second three-pointer, Maro Itoje’s yellow card for a deliberate knock-on provided the hosts with a further boost.

They duly took advantage of the extra man when Johnny Williams barged across the whitewash. It failed to last, however, and Michael Rhodes regained Sarries’ nine-point buffer by going over from close range.

Saracens were now well in control and their win was rubberstamped by Marcelo Bosch, Richard Barrington, Alex Goode and Schalk Brits tries.

McCall’s charges will head back to Allianz Park next weekend where they will take on Gloucester, knowing that they are safe in second position.

The scorers:

For London Irish:
Tries: Cokanasiga, Williams
Cons: Tonks 2
Yellow Cards: McNally, Cowan

For Saracens:
Tries: Barritt, Taylor, Rhodes, Bosch, Barrington, Goode, Brits
Cons: Farrell 5
Pens: Farrell 2
Yellow Card: Itoje

London Irish: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Tom Fowlie, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Theo Brophy Clews, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Ofisa Treviranus, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Jake Schatz, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 2 David Paice (c), 1 Ben Franks
Replacements: 16 Dave Porecki, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Petrus Du Plessis, 19 Sebastian De Chaves, 20 Josh Basham, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Luke McLean, 23 Aseli Tikoirotuma

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Michael Rhodes, 5 George Kruis, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Chris Wyles, 23 Marcelo Bosch

Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, Philip Waters
TMO: David Rose

Wasps 36-29 Northampton Saints
Ricoh Arena

Wasps secured their position in the Premiership semi-finals following a tense 36-29 victory over Northampton Saints.

They move up to third position, above Newcastle Falcons, but the Coventry-based outfit were pressurised throughout by a resilient Saints.

Dai Young’s men began impressively and touched down when Willie le Roux’s long pass was finished by Christian Wade out wide.

To Northampton’s credit, they hit back via Teimana Harrison’s barnstorming run, but Jimmy Gopperth’s penalty and Elliot Daly’s try, after another slick attack, took the hosts 15-7 clear.

Api Ratuniyarawa reduced the arrears from close range but successive Gopperth three-pointers re-established the Coventry outfit’s dominance.

Although Stephen Myler kept the Saints in the contest from the tee, they suffered a setback at the start of the second period when Luther Burrell was sin-binned for a needless trip.

Wasps duly benefited from the centre’s absence and Wade and Juan de Jongh appeared to have sealed the win and their place in the last four by touching down.

However, Alex Mitchell and Ahsee Tuala crossed the whitewash to put it back in the balance going into the final 10 minutes, but Gopperth’s effort off the tee settled the nerves late on.

The scorers:

For Wasps:
Tries: Wade 2, Daly, De Jongh
Cons: Gopperth 2
Pens: Gopperth 4

For Northampton:
Tries: Harrison, Ratuniyarawa, Mitchell, Tuala
Cons: Myler 2, Grayson
Pen: Myler
Yellow Card: Burrell

Wasps: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Guy Thompson, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Jack Willis, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (c), 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Simon McIntyre
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Marty Moore, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 James Haskell, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Gaby Lovobalavu, 23 Josh Bassett

Northampton: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Ben Foden (c), 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Piers Francis, 11 George North, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Mitch Eadie, 7 Teimana Harrison, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 James Craig, 4 Api Ratuniyarawa, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Campese Ma’afu, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 James Grayson, 23 Tom Collins

Referee: Matthew Carley
Assistant referees: Anthony Woodthorpe, Greg MacDonald
TMO: David Sainsbury