For the last time we were treated to a Rugby World Cup and Aviva Premiership double bill and it certainly made for a great weekend of rugby didn't it?! Time is flying by and we are already at the point where there is one Aviva Premiership round left before the Champions and Challenge Cups take centre stage.
As it stands after three rounds two sides have a clean sweep, Saracens and the Leicester Tigers and two, London Irish and the Newcastle Falcons are still searching for their maiden victory. Harlequins have started with purpose, Gloucester and Wasps have been sporadic with their performances however a large shock of the opening three rounds is that Saints and Bath are sitting seventh and ninth respectively.
As it stands after three rounds two sides have a clean sweep, Saracens and the Leicester Tigers and two, London Irish and the Newcastle Falcons are still searching for their maiden victory. Harlequins have started with purpose, Gloucester and Wasps have been sporadic with their performances however a large shock of the opening three rounds is that Saints and Bath are sitting seventh and ninth respectively.
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Indeed the round started at The Rec where Bath Rugby outscored their visitors by three tries to two however their discipline and the ever reliable boot of Nick Evans cost their illustrious home record. Evans’ ten from ten performance off the tee pushed his personal tally to 63 points for the season and steered Harlequins to their first victory at The Rec since November 2011. The opening half was a tighter affair with just one point in it at the break however early in the second Danny Care’s breakaway try, bursting off the back of a ruck and benefiting from Leroy Houston’s fumble, gave Quins the advantage. His try summed up the two sides at this point in time; one is confident and enjoying life whilst the other is uncharacteristically off colour and far from their clinical best. Tim Visser’s debut was hugely promising and centre George Lowe is enjoying being injury free while Bath Rugby's groove is still missing and they'll be highly frustrated after three rounds. Full Time Bath Rugby 28 Harlequins 38. Man of the Moment Harlequins' Nick Evans
At Kingsholm Gloucester Rugby held on to take the spoils in a closely fought match against the Worcester Warriors. The Cherry and Whites made the perfect start with Richard Hibbard’s try off a stellar driving maul however the Warriors weren’t fazed and struck straight back thanks to Cooper Vuna's interception. The home sides’ captain had a day that he'll wish to forget and his substitution actually assisted Gloucester in finding a spot of flow. Much to the Shed's annoyance Gloucester had their chances however Jonny May’s try was disallowed and in the final quarter Worcester were persistently pinged however penalties were only the result. At the death the Warriors had the try line in sight however Darren Barry’s forward pass will haunt him for a while and cost them their second Aviva Premiership victory. Full Time Gloucester Rugby 24 Worcester Warriors 22 Man of the Moment Gloucester Rugby's Billy Burns
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‘It was a much better team performance and something to get our teeth into’ were the words of Tom Coventry after London Irish’s defeat at Allianz Park. Of course the Head Coach would have preferred to be speaking on the back of a victory however Saracens proved that, even below their best, they are a tough nut to crack. The Exiles’ deserved their 7-3 lead at the break after resolute defence however in the end the home side did what top sides do and won ugly. The Irish cogs are starting to turn with tries from Asaeli Tikoirotuma and Leo Halavatau, Blair Cowen's industry deserves another mention and they’ll be feeling a little better about life this Monday morning than last. Saracens will move on, bring back some big guns and head for a good old ding dong against the Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens. Full Time Saracens 24 London Irish 14. Influential Man - Asaeli Tikoirotuma from hero to villain as his yellow influenced the match
At Kingston Park the Exeter Chiefs delivered a comprehensive 6 try victory over the Newcastle Falcons. It was difficult viewing for the Falcons’ fans and coaches as their side struggled to really exert any facets of their game on the Chiefs. Falcons’ Nili Latu was a one man band, he carried and tackled like a man possessed however couldn't do it alone. The Falcons' defensive laps will concern Dean Richards and although they were missing players it wasn't pretty. The Chiefs were in fine fettle, their forwards are pumped and their backs shining. Matt Jess capped his 100th club appearance with a try and Don Armand stood out amongst the pack with his ball carrying and physical performance. The Falcons have a world of pressure on their shoulders heading to Sixways next weekend whilst the Chiefs will breeze home looking forward to showing the Leicester Tigers what they're made of. Full Time Exeter Chiefs 41 Newcastle Falcons 3. Man of the Moment: Exeter Chiefs' Matt Jess |
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Speaking of the Tigers they extended their unbeaten run at Welford Road to ten games and started to show us the impact of new Head Coach Aaron Major against local rivals Wasps. This fixture is one that continues to haunt Wasps as they haven't won at Welford Road since September 2008. A clinical second half sealed the deal for the home side as they pressed and showed their hand more in attack than we've seen for a long time in Aviva Premiership Rugby. New signing Lachlan McCaffrey has enjoyed a tremendous start to his season after signing from London Welsh and indeed Tigers' new look pack is purring. Dai Young stated that they have 'a lot of work to do' as they don't look as threatening as they did last year and he is right, Wasps' back line is filled with stardust however we haven't seen it deliver on the road and that is disappointing. Full Time Leicester Tigers 24 Wasps 16. Man of the Moment: Leicester Tigers' Lachlan McCaffrey
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The Sale Sharks proved again how challenging it is for sides to travel to the AJ Bell Stadium as they beat the Northampton Saints. Stephen Myler scored all of Saints' points converting his own try and slotting two other penalties however it wasn't a day to remember for the visitors. Sale's driving maul continued to fire and Sam James' first half try was a stunning. Sam was a late replacement for Tuitupou and cooly deliver a perfect chip and chase for the score. As you'd expect Saints pressed hard and threw a lot at the home side however the chips just didn't fall their way showcased by Jamie Gibson having a try ruled out by the TMO. Full Time Sale Sharks 20 Northampton Saints 13 Man of the Moment: Sale Sharks Sam James
Quote of the Round
Exeter Chiefs' Rob Baxter; "Not making the top four last last season on points difference has had an effect on us. It's given us a nice, hard edge and I like that, so no apologies."
