Aviva Premiership week 6 review

Round up of week six of the Aviva Premiership for Rugbyunionfans; 

London Irish 42 Worcester 24

An impressive second half performance saw London Irish run in four of their five tries and sweep past a gutsy Worcester team.

Irish were kept in check in the first half but were blown away by a scintillating display of running rugby lead by fly half Dan Bowden. (If anyone in his native New Zealand was watching they would be wondering how he, and fellow London based ten Nick Evans, got away from national team selection in the wake of Dan Carter’s injury.) Bowden was able to pull the strings behind a pack that grew into the game and dominated in the second half allowing the kiwi to pull the stings and unleash Irish’s young exciting back line.

The tempo of the game was set early with Irish looking to run from deep and play with pace and would have crossed in the opening minutes if not for some good Worcester defence. They did cross the line minutes later when Bowden’s perfectly timed pass put hooker David Pace into a huge gap and he was able to fix the full back before a perfectly weighted pass put  Steve Shingler in for the score, Tom Homer added the extras on route to an impressive 22 point haul for the full back.

Worcester came straight back at them and launched a superb counter attack down their right wing, full back Errie Claassens decided to run from deep in his own 22 and when Marcel Garvey and Andy Goode combined on half way only an infringement from Darren Allinson, which earned the Irish scrum half a yellow card, halted proceedings. Worcester kicked to the corner but lost the line out and with Irish looking to break a great counter rucking turn over launched a counter attack and when the ball came back to the left Claassens spotted forwards in front of him, made the break and put Miles Benjamin into acres of space, with Goode levelling the scores.

An exchange of penalties took the score out to 16-10 in Irish’s favour at the break as Homer and Goode were in fine kicking form but Worcester could, and maybe should, have scored right on half time. After Goode and Alex Grove had made the initial break into the Irish 22 Worcester recycled well and Chris Jones broke the line, he neglected the support around him and went for the try line, but after checking with the TMO it was confirmed that he was held up and didn’t ground the ball.

If Worcester had a disappointing end to the first half the start to the second, the start of the second was an outright disaster as Irish turned on the style scoring two quick tries. First it was the power of Chris Hala’ufia as the number 8 picked up from the base of a scrum and broke a tackle to smash his way over. Then it was the pace and guile as a messed up line out was recovered by a great running line from Shingler and quickly recycled back to Bowden who delayed the pass and Jonathon Joseph made a superb outside break to cross, Homer converted both tries.

Worcester did answer back immediately to prove that there was plenty of fight in the recently promoted Warriors as after a set line out move 5m from the line didn’t work the ball was moved in field and Garvey rode a huge hit and wasn’t held as he hit the ground, shot straight back up and scored, Goode’s conversion brought it back to a two score game but Irish still had more in the tank.

Homer then rounded off a superb day for the full back with an excellent try as Worcester were beginning to tire after putting up a huge effort in defence. After a poor clearing kick Shingler set like his was to try a long range drop goal but instead passed to Homer who spotted a hole in the kick chase defence, broke the line and then powered his way through contact to cross the whitewash to secure the try bonus point.

Adam Thompstone then rounded off the Irish scoring benefitting from great ball retention from the forwards and a sublime offload from Hala’ufia, who took on two tacklers before popping the ball up for an easy touchdown for the winger. This wasn’t the end of the scoring however, as Garvey still had time to show his pace and power for a consolation that would at least send the travelling support home with a sense of optimism.

This was an impressive performance by Irish but they know that there is improvement to be made as they are still leaking some soft tries, but a mercurial performance from Bowden and an explosive mixture of power and pace in the backs was too much for a Worcester side that has plenty of spirit but not enough cutting edge.

 

London Wasps 27 Bath 24

London Wasps survived a late resurgence from Bath to claim a much needed win after three consecutive defeats.

Tries from their two lightning wingers Christian Wade and Tom Varndell plus 17 points from the boot of Nicky Robinson saw them home but a late try from Guy Mercer gave the home fans a nervous ending to the game.

Tom Heathcote had given Bath an early lead with a penalty in the first minute but two Robinson attempts put Wasps ahead before Wade’s try stretched the lead. Hugo Southwell put boot to ball and it was deflected into the young winger’s hands and he raced in from 25 yards, Robinson added the extras.

Bath hit straight back as a Michael Claassens break set up Kane-Palma Newport, Heathcote slotted the conversion and his penalty after half an hour levelled the scores.

Wasps regained the lead, which they took into the break, as Varndell finished off a superb try with too much pace down the left wing.

The second half saw a flurry of penalties with Robinson landing three to Heathcote’s two giving Wasps a 27-19 lead and when Mercer crossed with ten minutes to go after sustained Bath pressure and comeback was on the cards but they ran out of time and had to settle for the losing bonus point. 

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young: "We played some good stuff on occasions and some dumb stuff on occasions too. We gifted Bath some points by not using the conditions but we found a way to win. There's still loads to work on but the set pieces - both scrum and lineout - and the discipline were a lot better. When things aren't going as well as you like you need that win and that little bit of breathing space."

Bath coach Brad Davis: "I had a chat with Andrew [Small, the referee] after the game. I thought he didn't have too much assistance out there today. Obviously any coach on the losing side would feel a little bit aggrieved if all the 50-50s and some 100-percenters don't go your way. To score 24 points away from home you should generally come away a winner."

  

Saracens 25 Newcastle 5

Saracens had too much for bottom club Newcastle and ran out comfortable winners at Vicarage Road.

The defending champions will be disappointed however that they were unable to secure a try bonus point in a contest that they dominated from the outset. Joe Maddock started the scoring with a try in the right corner after Saracens had enjoyed plenty of possession. Newcastle levelled the scoring with Luke Fielden’s try just minutes later as the winger grounded the ball even though it looked like the tackle had stopped him short.

Charlie Hodgson, who had missed the conversion attempt, put Saracens back into the lead with a couple of penalties and Alex Goode, who had set up the first try, got the second after good work from Owen Farrell, sending the sides in 18-5 at the break.

Saracens could only add one further try in the second half as James Short capped a dazzling 80 metre break with a score, even though the winger was initially stopped before the try line Saracens were able to recycle the ball and Brad Barritt set up Short for a deserved touchdown, Hodgson added the extras. Even though Saracens failed to secure the bonus point the win still keeps them second in the table.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall: "We made a catalogue of errors and it was very frustrating not to come away with the bonus point, and we left two or three tries out there that should have been taken. But I cannot criticise the players for their efforts. We scored three tries in 45 minutes and have moved up to second in the table.”

"Once we correct the small errors the scores will follow. I am very pleased with our ambition."

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait: "I'm delighted with their efforts and believe it could be a real turning point for the rest of the season.  A lot of lads came down and put their hands up, and while we did suffer a few injuries, the boys accept that when you play the big sides you'll have to come to terms with that.”

Sale Sharks 13 Gloucester 11

Sale Sharks have Captain Dave Seymour to thank for their third consecutive home victory that moves them up to third in the Aviva Premiership. Seymour has been in superb form to start the season and has retained the captaincy even though Sam Tuitupou was expected to take over the role on arrival at the club.

Seymour opened the scoring, the flankers third try in four games, midway through the first half with help from Tuitupou as the pair combined after a bullocking run from the New Zealand international. Nick Macleod added the extras and a penalty on the stroke of half time and scored Sale’s only points of the second half with a further penalty after Tim Taylor had reduced the lead to four points with two kicks of his own.

Taylor’s penalties and a try from Hendry Trinder saw Gloucester mount a second half comeback but Taylor was unsuccessful with the conversion attempt and that was ultimately the difference between the two sides. 

Sale Sharks executive director of sport Steve Diamond: "To be fair I don't think we played very well, but we did enough just to win. We worked on the defence and the first fifteen minutes we knocked the hell out of them really, it was a real physical game."

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath: "We disrespected field position and conditions in the first half to go 10-0 down and you can't do that. Away performances are about playing in the right areas of the pitch which we didn't do, we gifted them most of the points. Up front we battled extremely hard, asked a lot of the forwards and I don't think that we complimented them with some of our decisions.”

Northampton 33 Exeter 3

Northampton put last week’s lost to newly promoted Worcester firmly behind them with a much improved performance to sweep past Exeter.

Sixteen points from the boot of Ryan Lamb and three tries from the backs were too much for the season’s surprise package Exeter and ended a run of four consecutive defeats for the Saints.

James Downey got things off to a flyer with Northampton’s first attack diving over in the right corner for the score, Lamb added the conversion. Exeter got their only score midway through the half as Argentine fly half Ignacio Mieres landed a penalty but it only seemed to spur on the Saints.

Paul Diggin added the second try rounding off a well worked backs move in the same corner as Downey’s opener; Lamb was again successful with the conversion and added two penalties before the break.

Northampton controlled the second half but only had two further Lamb penalties to show for their efforts until Scott Armstrong scored his first try of the season to run up the score with replacement Stephen Myler adding the conversion to complete the rout.

Northampton Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder: "It was a good win. Ryan Lamb put us in good positions. Some of his passing was excellent today.”

 "Just to mention two people - Mike Haywood and Calum Clark - in terms of competing and turning ball were outstanding today."

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter: "If we'd have played the first half like the second half, I think it would have been a relatively interesting game. What we didn't do was really put them under enough pressure for them to really ever start questioning themselves and the start to the season they've had.  We're a team that are learning and we've learnt some tough lessons today."

Leicester 18 Harlequins 27

Harlequins kept up their 100% record and heaped more woes on Leicester who are yet to win at ‘fortress’ Welford Road this season.

Things started brightly for the Tigers as a bold decision to kick to touch saw Boris Stankovich touch down following a ten metre catch and drive. Then, in what director of rugby Richard Cockerill called a ‘mad three minutes’, Harlequins scored two converted tries as wingers Sam Smith and Seb Stegmann ran in from distance down their respective flanks.

Scott Hamilton, on as early replacement for Matthew Tait, rounded off a good move from Jeremy Staunton and the returning Alesana Tuilagi, the Samoan thought he had scored soon after but was just in touch. Staunton and Nick Evans exchanged penalties to send Harlequins into the break with a 17-15 advantage and landed penalties a few minutes apart in the second half with the sides going into the final ten minutes just two points apart.

Staunton was unsuccessful with a penalty that would have given Leicester the lead and Quins took full advantage as Joe Marler touched down after a rolling maul had driven them deep into the Leicester 22, Evans added the extras to even deny Leicester the losing bonus point.

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea: “We won’t get carried away but I’d rather be in our position than Leicester’s. It was an incredible ask for them [as so many of their players are at the World Cup].  We were under the pump in the first half but we were very opportunistic and then in the second half we dug in and I am really proud of the guys.

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill: “We’ve got to defend better. It was those two phases that killed us.  We thought we could win today but our ball-carrying and decision-making was poor and we lost lineout’s at crucial times.

“It’s been a farce with 20 guys missing [at the World Cup], it’s been very hard but we will be stronger for it.