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Weekend Round-Up: Cards, Fightbacks, and Brief Returns
By RugbyPass
The pick of the weekend’s action from the northern hemisphere
Aviva Premiership: Newcastle Falcons v Bath
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For the second week in a row, Newcastle’s Kingston Park provided the Friday-night lights for a breathtaking encounter as Dean Richards’ Falcons entertained Todd Blackadder’s Bath. The hosts were the quickest out of the blocks, with Vereniki Goneva scoring early, and threw the ball about with abandon – but the first-half was notable mostly for the wayward kicking of England fly-half George Ford, who missed his first two kicks at goal and was regularly outplayed by his less-illustrious opposite number Joel Hodgson. But the match exploded almost immediately after the restart as first the visitors stepped up a gear, then Newcastle responded to set up a dramatic finale.
Aviva Premiership: Northampton Saints v Bristol
Having watched this match, viewers who do not know the story of the English Premiership season so far would be hard-pressed to understand why Bristol are propping up the table, such was the quality of their performance against Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday. For long periods, the visitors – who before Christmas were giving opponents attacking bonus points as if they were running a score-one-try-get-one-free promotion – played the brighter rugby. If Bristol keep playing rugby like this – and in Jason Woodward, they have found a gem of a player – they could even pull off arguably the greatest rugby escape.
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Aviva Premiership: Saracens v Exeter Chiefs
Proof, if it was needed, that matches do not have to be high-scoring, mass-try affairs to be utterly absorbing. The English top-flight’s first red card under World Rugby’s newly toughened high tackle laws meant the champions – who were already missing the services of the Vunipola brothers, George Kruis and Owen Farrell – played with 14 men after 10 minutes. Five minutes later, they were 10-0 behind thanks to some wing-wizardry from England man Jack Nowell. And Exeter domination really should have been the story of the rest of the match – but Saracens, who have won the last four meetings between the two sides, had clearly not read the script. Or, if they had, they had thrown it out in favour of one they decided to write themselves on the spur of the moment.
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Aviva Premiership: Wasps v Leicester Tigers
Half an hour into Aaron Mauger’s first game in charge of Leicester Tigers, the omens did not look good. His side were three tries and 19-0 down against a rampant Wasps at the Ricoh Arena. And what had started as a difficult day at the office against a side that was defending an 10-game unbeaten run at home looked certain to only get tougher – with James Haskell, Danny Cipriani, Joe Simpson and Rob Miller all chomping at the bit on a mighty bench. So, Mauger really should try to remember whatever it was he said in the changing room at halftime because the visitors were suddenly on the front foot and threatening from all angles. As for Haskell, brought on as Wasps were forced into desperate defence in the second half, his return from the injury that has kept him on the sidelines since the second Test of England’s tour of Australia in June lasted all of 35 seconds…
