Shaun Malton of Exeter Chiefs dives over to score

Aviva Premiership weekend results and review including wins for Exeter, Saracens, Leicester and Newcastle

20:10 · SUN September 24, 2017

Results, statistics and a round-up of the weekend's Aviva Premiership action, including wins for Saracens, Leicester, Exeter and Newcastle.

Aviva Premiership fixtures & results (Sep 22-24)

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Friday September 22

Gloucester 24-19 Worcester

Saturday September 23

Bath 32-33 Newcastle
Harlequins 28-31 Leicester
Saracens 41-13 Sale

Sunday September 24

Exeter 31-17 Wasps
London Irish 25-40 Northampton

Sunday's round-up

Exeter 31-17 Wasps

Exeter tries: Woodburn (9,38), Dennis (21), Armand (26), Malton (61)
Conversions: Steenson (27,39,61)

Wasps tries: Johnson (12), Bassett (63)
Conversions: Gopperth (13,63)
Penalties: Gopperth (18)

Champions Exeter reclaimed top spot in the Aviva Premiership by stinging Wasps 31-17 at Sandy Park and recording a third successive bonus-point victory.

Last season's Premiership final between the clubs needed extra-time to decide it, but the Chiefs' ruthless first-half performance meant they were out of sight by the break.

Wing Olly Woodburn scored two tries, while flankers Dave Dennis and Don Armand also touched down - all four scores came between the ninth and 38th minutes - to showcase Exeter's first-half dominance and underpin a second defeat on the bounce for Wasps after they lost to Harlequins last weekend.

Replacement hooker Shaun Malton added a second-half try, with skipper Gareth Steenson kicking three conversions as the Chiefs moved two points clear of Saracens and Newcastle.

Flanker Ashley Johnson and wing Josh Bassett scored tries for Wasps, with Jimmy Gopperth adding two conversions and a penalty, but they never seriously troubled an Exeter side looking like major title contenders just four games into the new Premiership campaign.

London Irish 25-40 Northampton

London Irish Tries: Lewington (49), Bell (65), McNally (80)
Conversions: Bell (51), Tonks (80)
Penalties: Bell (12,40)

Northampton Tries: Groom (2), Horn (6,26), Haywood (33), North (54), Reinach (78)
Conversions: Mallinder (3,7,34,55,79)

London Irish gave supporters little to celebrate on their first appearance of the season at the Madejski Stadium after falling to a 40-25 Aviva Premiership defeat to Northampton.

Saints had wrapped-up the bonus point by the 32nd minute after revelling in some feeble defence that enabled former Australia centre Rob Horne to cross twice, but - having coasted out of reach - they took their foot off the pedal to make heavy weather of the second half.

The Exiles grew in confidence as they sensed their opponents' vulnerability and the second-half try count finished 3-2 in their favour, although they were assisted by some weak tackling in a low-quality Premiership match.

Since accounting for Harlequins on the opening weekend, Irish have leaked 111 points over three matches and for all the spirit evident later in the game, a season-long battle against relegation awaits.

Saturday's round-up

Bath 32-33 Newcastle

Bath tries: Banahan (29), Rokoduguni (45), Ewels (48), Joseph (55)
Conversions: Priestland (30,48,57)
Penalties: Priestland (40,43)

Newcastle tries: Takulua (9), Welsh (12), van der Merwe (19), Harris (67), Wilson (76)
Conversions: Takulua (10,14), Hodgson (68,77)

Newcastle shrugged off the jet lag of their North American mission last weekend to snatch a rare league victory in a match of wildly swinging fortunes at the Recreation Ground.

The visitors - who had lost to Saracens in Philadelphia last Sunday - raced into a 19-nil lead in the first half with tries by scrum-half Sonatane Takulua, prop Rob Vickers and right wing DTH van der Merwe.

But Bath came back with 32 unanswered points of their own through tries by stand-in full-back Matt Banahan, wing Semesa Rokoduguni, lock Charlie Ewels and centre Jonathan Joseph.

Newcastle had the last word though. Not content with a bonus point try from Chris Harris and a losing bonus point, they surged back to seize the win with a fifth try from flanker Mark Wilson. Joel nervelessly Hodgson converted both.

Harlequins 28-31 Leicester

Harlequins tries: Care (44), Luamanu (46), Alofa (63)
Conversions: Smith (45), Swiel (64)
Penalties: Smith (4,18,26)

Leicester tries: Veainu (11), May (53), Bateman (57)
Conversions: Ford (54,58)
Penalties: Ford (6,38,73,73)

Marcus Smith withstood a battering from Leicester before the England prospect was forced off during the decisive phase of a chaotic Aviva Premiership clash that ended in a 31-28 defeat for Harlequins.

Leicester initially targeted him, Dan Cole producing the biggest hit on a player Jones sees as a possible World Cup bolter, but both sides' gameplans were ripped apart by a frantic second half that was ultimately decided by two Ford penalties.

At one point in the closing stages of a ragged but exhilarating showdown, Marland Yarde, Mike Brown and Mathew Tait were receiving treatment while the whitewash at both ends came under fierce attack.

Four of the game's five tries were scored in the roller-coaster second half when the coaching teams' role was reduced to ensuring they had a full compliment of players on the pitch as injury took its tool, England flanker Chris Robshaw among those to be stricken.

Saracens 41-13 Sale

Saracens tries: Spencer (4,52), Williams (9), Koch (64), Earle (78)
Conversions: Farrell (5,11,53,65,80)
Penalties: Farrell (32,50)

Sale tries: McGuigan (66,80)
Penalties: de Klerk (26)

England number eight Billy Vunipola was helped from the field with a leg injury as Saracens cruised to a convincing 41-13 win over Sale at Allianz Park.

Vunipola received lengthy treatment just before half-time after being hurt as Saracens defended resolutely under a Sale barrage being getting to his feet and hobbling around the perimeter of the ground, aided by two medics.

Ben Spencer crossed twice for Sarries with Liam Williams, Nathan Earle and Vincent Koch also going over and Owen Farrell converting all five and adding two penalties.

Byron McGuigan responded with two tries for Sale with Faf de Klerk kicking a penalty.

Friday's round-up

Gloucester 24-19 Worcester

Gloucester tries: Thorley (13,16), Twelvetrees (41)
Conversions: Burns (14,18,42)
Penalties: Burns (10)

Worcester tries: Humphreys (60,71)
Penalties: Mills (26,39,75)

Worcester fell to a fourth successive Aviva Premiership defeat of the season as Gloucester claimed a hard-fought victory at Kingsholm.

Gloucester returned to winning ways following defeats against Harlequins and Leicester, edging out the Warriors 24-19 through two Ollie Thorley tries, a superb Billy Twelvetrees touchdown and nine points from the boot of fly-half Billy Burns.

Worcester have conceded 124 points this term, but they displayed admirable resolve to post two Perry Humphreys tries during the final 20 minutes, while fly-half Ryan Mills kicked three penalties to secure a losing bonus point.

And although life is not about to get any easier for the Warriors, with reigning European champions Saracens arriving at Sixways next Friday before Worcester visit Bath eight days later, they posed Gloucester plenty of second-half problems.

The home side, who lost lock Tom Savage late on when he appeared to be briefly knocked out following a crunching Christian Scotland-Williamson tackle, made it two home wins from two this season, but their form on the road remains a concern.