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**dudeabides** · 02-13-2010, 04:54 PM

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Saracens returned to the summit of the Guinness Premiership as they recovered from an eight-point second-half deficit to defeat Worcester Warriors 25-20 at Wembley on Saturday afternoon.

Sarries looked on course for a third straight league defeat when they conceded a penalty try to go 20-12 behind in the 47th minute, and by that stage they were down to 14 men following Carlos Nieto's sin-binning.

However, they completed a marvellous recovery in front of 40,163 spectators, fly-half Glen Jackson finishing with six successful penalties from seven attempts while also converting Neil de Kock's 57th-minute try.

The Warriors have arguably been better than their position in the table suggests and they started well, penning Brendan Venter's men back in their half and earning two penalties that Willie Walker slotted over in the third and eighth minutes.

Sarries finally got a grip and they levelled at 6-6 thanks to two Jackson penalties, conceded by the visitors at the breakdown. But Worcester went back in front in the 25th minute following a sloppy error by Sarries scrum-half De Kock. The South African's clearance from his own in-goal area was hit too low and was charged down by Kai Horstmann, the ball rebounding to Tom Wood who pounced to ground for the try.

Walker added the extras to make it three from three from the boot and although Jackson did likewise with a 31st-minute penalty to make it 13-9, Saracens knew they had been very much second best as they trudged back to the dressing room for half-time.

They had not come close to the Warriors try-line in the first half but Jackson's penalties were keeping them in it and he added a fourth two minutes into second period to gnaw further into the deficit.

A swashbuckling 25-yard run by Worcester winger Miles Benjamin ended with him held up over the line by fellow England Saxon Alex Goode, but the away side were not to be denied. From the resulting scrum, Sarries conceded two penalties, leading to substitute Nieto being sent to the sin-bin. Worcester opted against a kick at goal in favour of an attacking scrum and when that was halted illegally by a retreating Sarries pack, referee Dave Pearson ran out of patience and awarded a penalty try.

Walker converted and it looked the beginning of the end for Sarries. They had other ideas, however.

Jackson landed a fifth penalty before Saracens went over for their first try, Goode booting ahead 50 yards before collecting his own kick, offloading to Chris Wyles who in turn laid on De Kock for a length-of-the-field, 57th-minute score. Jackson converted and then added a sixth penalty, in the 71st minute, to clinch a hard-fought win for his side.

Gloucester revived their Guinness Premiership season with a thumping 46-6 victory over Harlequins at Kingsholm.

British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan has been helping Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath at training this week and some of his magic rubbed off on the Cherry and Whites as they went over for six tries, with former England wing James Simpson-Daniel getting a hat-trick.

The writing on the wall as early as half time, with Gloucester 18-6 up. Welsh fly-half Nicky Robinson booted two penalties against two from Quins' Nick Evans, but the difference was two well-worked tries.

The opening touchdown came after Gloucester won a scrum just inside the Quins half, with Robinson feeding captain Gareth Delve, who burst through a gap in the Londoners' midfield. Centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu took it on before former England wing Lesley Vainikolo drove home from 15 metres.

Vainikolo was involved in the other try after Robinson chipped into the corner, Quins wing David Strettle and Vainikolo fought for possession before it fell to centre Tim Molenaar to grab the ball and dive over.

Quins tried hard but the game was effectively over by the hour mark. By then, Simpson-Daniel had finished off a well-executed team try which saw the home side stretch Quins out wide. And, when number eight Delve charged down an attempted clearance by Strettle 30 metres out from the Quins line, the ball found its way to replacement wing Tom Voyce to sprint over and secure the bonus point.

Simpson-Daniel then got two more tries in the last three minutes as Quins had given up the ghost and looked towards the changing rooms and then the coach home.

Chris Ashton grabbed two tries as Northampton beat Newcastle 25-13 in an entertaining match at Franklin's Gardens.

Northampton began the game brightly by moving the ball at every opportunity and took the lead on 10 minutes when they pilfered a Falcons lineout and span the ball wide for Ashton to score in the corner. Myler converted to give Northampton a 7-0 lead after 10 minutes.

The Saints continued to have the better of the play but it was the visitors who had the next score when Jimmy Gopperth kicked an excellent 45-metre penalty after 20 minutes. Myler landed a penalty for Northampton three minutes later, but Newcastle immediately replied by going over from their first attacking opportunity of the game.

From a lineout on the home 22 the Falcons secured possession and produced a stunning forward drive which ended with a try for Rob Vickers which Gopperth converted to level the scores.

The visitors then enjoyed their best period of the half but just before the interval Saints produced an inspired attacking movement. From inside his own half, Myler began with a skilful pass to send his side away and when Juandre Kruger was hauled down inches from the line, Lee Dickson was on hand to pick up and score. Myler's conversion attempt hit the post to leave Saints 15-10 ahead at half-time.

Northampton had the better of early proceedings in the second half and when the Falcons were penalised at a scrum Myler kicked the penalty.

Gopperth replied with one of his own on 55 minutes to bring Newcastle back into it but a poor pass from Gcobani Bobo gave the Saints a chance to attack. From a position 30 metres out a clever pass from the outstanding Dickson sent Kruger away to put Ashton over for another try for the wing which proved the final score of the game.

Saracens back on top | Rugby Union | English Premiership | Rugby News | Scrum.com

**dudeabides** · 02-14-2010, 05:31 PM

But that only lasted one day, because on Sunday:

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Leicester Tigers returned to the top of the Guinness Premiership with a narrow 14-9 victory over bottom-placed Leeds at Headingley on Sunday.

The result took the Tigers above Saracens and Northampton, but they rarely had it their own way against a dogged Leeds side. Flanker Craig Newby scored the only try of the game but was involved in a fierce battle at the breakdown with former team-mate Marco Wentzel and England Saxons cap Hendre Fourie.

Ceiron Thomas kicked all of Leeds' points to gain a losing bonus-point and close the gap on Worcester to five, but his efforts were matched by Jeremy Staunton, whose three penalties helped secure the spoils.