Saracens stroll past Wasps to bridge the gap
SARACENS cemented their place at the top of the Premiership with a comfortable 22-6 win over Wasps at Vicarage Road.
A converted Schalk Brits try and Derick Hougaard’s drop-goal, either side of a Dave Walder penalty, made it 10-3 and Saracens led 13-6 at the break.
Hougaard added another drop-goal as well as two penalties to help Saracens make it eight from eight – the best start to a Premiership season since Newcastle in 1997.
But for Wasps, this latest league defeat was their third of the season and their biggest ever loss to Saracens in the Premiership.
Meanwhile, London Irish tasted their first Premiership loss since the opening day of the season, going down 15-11 to Newcastle.
Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth kicked five penalties for the Falcons and despite a Chris Hala’ufia try the Exiles were unable to claw themselves back.
Elsewhere, Sale mounted a second-half fightback to stun bottom side Leeds 24-17.
Leeds were well on their way to a first home Premiership win of the season after converted tries from Lee Blackett and Scott Barrow and a Ceiron Thomas penalty put them 17-3 up early in the second half.
But tries from Ben Cohen, Richard Wigglesworth and Carl Fearns completed a remarkable turnaround for Sale.