Fast Results
Scores
Aviva Premiership: Bonus point victory for leaders Exeter
A round-up of the weekend's action in the Aviva Premiership as Exeter kept up their strong pace at the top with a win over Northampton.
Aviva Premiership results (December 22-24)
Sunday December 24
- Leicester 17-29 Saracens
Saturday December 23
- Newcastle 11-10 Harlequins
- Northampton 14-35 Exeter
- Sale Sharks 32-9 Bath
- Wasps 49-24 Gloucester
Friday December 22
- Worcester 23-8 London Irish
Sunday review
Leicester tries: Tait (29), Penalty (58)
Conversions: Ford (30)
Penalties: Ford (35)
Saracens tries: George (26), Penalty (11)
Conversions: Farrell (27)
Penalties: Farrell (7,48,61,70)
Drop-Goals: Farrell (51)
Saracens returned to winning ways with a deserved win over Leicester in an absorbing clash before a crowd of 24,873 at Welford Road.
The European champions' win followed seven consecutive defeats, with Jonny May's departure to a red card for two deliberate knock-ons condemning Tigers to a fifth consecutive defeat with an away game at leaders Exeter looming on the horizon.
Each side were awarded with a penalty try, with Mathew Tait crossing for Leicester and George Ford converting and kicking a penalty.
Jamie George crossed for Saracens with Owen Farrell kicking five penalties and a conversion.
Saturday review
Northampton 14-35 Exeter
Northampton tries: Tuala (20), Reinach (76)
Conversions: Francis (20,76)
Exeter tries: Chudley (12), Simmonds (60), Waldrom (73), Yeandle (80)
Conversions: Steenson (60,74), Simmonds (80)
Penalties: Steenson (7,32,43)
Exeter maintained their grip at the Aviva Premiership summit with a bonus point victory as they sent Northampton crashing to their 11th defeat in 12 games in all competitions.
It was the first Premiership game for the Saints since they sacked director of rugby Jim Mallinder a week and a half ago.
The Chiefs scored tries from scrum-half Will Chudley, number eight Sam Simmonds and replacements Thomas Waldrom and Jack Yeandle, with fly-half Gareth Steenson booting three penalties and three conversions.
Saints battled hard but they were undone in the second-half.They scored tries from wing Ahsee Tuala in the first half and replacement Cobus Reinach towards the end of the game, with fly-half Piers Francis converting both.
Wasps 49-24 Gloucester
Wasps tries: le Roux (12), Wade (35,78), Young (49), Thompson (67), Robson (76)
Conversions: Cipriani (36,50,67,76,79)
Penalties: Cipriani (32,53,59)
Gloucester tries: Heinz (17), Atkinson (28), Marshall (39), Clarke (74)
Conversions: Twelvetrees (17,74)
Wasps replaced Gloucester in second place with a bonus-point 49-24 victory before a crowd of 26,296 at the Ricoh Arena.
There was little between the teams until 49th minute when Thomas Young's breakaway try turned the game Wasps' way.
Christian Wade crossed for a brace of tries, with Guy Thompson, Dan Robson, Willie Le Roux and Young also going over for the hosts and Danny Cipriani converted five and kicked three penalties.
Will Heinz, Tom Marshall, Freddie Clarke and Mark Atkinson scored tries for Gloucester with Billy Twelvetrees converting two.
Sale Sharks 32-9 Bath
Sale tries: Strauss (44), McGuigan (48), O'Connor (61), Cliff (72)
Conversions: MacGinty (44,63,73)
Penalties: MacGinty (14,40)
Bath penalties: Priestland (9,12,36)
Former Australia international James O'Connor created one try and scored another as Sale Sharks made it three successive victories with a 32-9 triumph over Bath at the AJ Bell Stadium.
In a poor first half full of errors, the kicking of Rhys Priestland and AJ MacGinty dominated the contest, with the former scoring three penalties to the latter's two.
Todd Blackadder's Bath side ended the first period 9-6 in front, but Sale controlled the early stages of the second 40 minutes and touched down via Josh Strauss and Byron McGuigan.
The Sharks remained on the front foot and deservedly sealed a bonus-point win when O'Connor and Will Cliff crossed the whitewash.
Newcastle 11-10 Harlequins
Newcastle tries: Goneva (16)
Penalties: Takulua (14,26)
Harlequins tries: Brown (43)
Conversions: Smith (44)
Penalties: Smith (68)
Newcastle held off Harlequins to edge an 11-10 victory in their clash at a packed Kingston Park.
The Falcons were under the cosh for most of the second half after leading 11-0 at half-time with a Vereniki Goneva try and two Tase Takulua penalties.
But after England full-back Mike Brown scored early in the second half and Marcus Smith converted the momentum was all with Quins and Smith set up a pulsating finish when he landed a 67th-minute penalty to make it 11-10.
Somehow, Newcastle managed to hang on and sent most of the 9,128 crowd home for Christmas happy with a narrow victory.
Friday review
Worcester 23-8 London Irish
Worcester tries: Adams (5,40)
Conversions: Pennell (5,40)
Penalties: Pennell (22,50,54)
London Irish tries: Lewington (38)
Penalties: Tonks (34)
Worcester deepened the gloom for Aviva Premiership relegation favourites London Irish after claiming a crucial 23-8 victory at Sixways.
The 11th-placed Warriors moved 10 points clear of rock-bottom Irish as wing Josh Adams scored two tries and full-back Chris Pennell kicked both conversions and three penalties.
Alex Lewington's virtuoso try proved in vain for Irish, along with a Greig Tonks penalty, with the Exiles having claimed a solitary success in all competitions since early September.