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The Gallagher PREM continues to deliver ridiculous scorelines, with Northampton and Bath combining for 119 points, Christian Wade moving within one try of equalling Chris Ashton's Premiership try-scoring record and Harlequins finding another way to lose. Elsewhere, Leicester ended Gloucester's unbeaten start, Saracens brought Bristol back down to earth and Exeter finally got their first win of the season.
Three rounds in, no team remains unbeaten. Gloucester still lead, but Northampton, Saracens, Leicester and Bath sit just one point behind. Sale’s comeback against an improved Harlequins side added another twist to a weekend that left the early standings tightly packed.
F. Carnduff (15'), J. Heyes (29'), J. Blamire (36'), A. Wainwright (51'), O. Hassell-Collins (70')
Tries
J. Morgan (4'), D. Bleuler (9'), W. Trenholm (60'), J. Innard (80')
B. Searle (16', 30', 37', 52', 71')
Conversions
C. Englefield (5', 10'), G. Barton (61', 80')
B. Searle (48')
Penalties
G. Barton (80')
Gloucester arrived at Welford Road sitting top of the Premiership with maximum points from their opening two matches, and after ten minutes, they looked well on their way to making it three from three. Billy Searle's early yellow card handed the visitors an opportunity, and Jac Morgan and Dian Bleuler duly took advantage as Gloucester raced into a 14-0 lead. Unfortunately for the Cherry and Whites, Leicester had other ideas. Once restored to 15 men, the Tigers took control of the forward exchanges and began to impose themselves through their set piece and breakdown work. Finn Carnduff, Joe Heyes and Jamie Blamire all crossed as Leicester turned a two-try deficit into a 21-14 half-time lead, before Aaron Wainwright scored his first try for the club as the hosts stretched their advantage after the break. Tommy Reffell was outstanding at the breakdown, while Searle recovered from his early indiscretion to direct proceedings with an excellent kicking game. Gloucester struggled to reproduce the attacking fluency that had seen them put 48 unanswered points past Harlequins the previous weekend, although they deserve credit for refusing to disappear. Jack Innard's late try and George Barton's final penalty secured two bonus points, ensuring Gloucester retained top spot despite the defeat. Leicester, meanwhile, have responded to their opening-round loss against Saracens with consecutive victories, and their increasingly formidable pack is giving them a reliable foundation to build around. Even Prince Harry was in attendance, although the rugby provided more than enough entertainment without the royal subplot.
F. Smith (6'), O. Sleightholme (15', 59', 62'), T. Freeman (27', 77'), F. Dingwall (35'), J. Pater (44'), J. Kemeny (50'), A. Mitchell (55'), A. Coles (67')
Tries
T. Carr-Smith (9'), C. Griffin (12'), A. Griffin (29'), A. Green (31', 41'), S. Carreras (48'), J. Bayliss (64')
F. Smith (16', 27', 36', 45', 56', 63', 67', 78')
Conversions
F. Russell (10', 13', 32', 42', 65')
Penalties
F. Russell (40')
There are high-scoring games, and then there's whatever Northampton and Bath decided to serve up at Franklin's Gardens. Eighteen tries, 119 points and the second-highest scoring match in Premiership history, with the defending champions running in 11 tries against one of their supposed title rivals. It was a remarkable afternoon of attacking rugby, although anyone responsible for defensive coaching at either club might have preferred to spend Saturday doing something else. Bath actually led 29-26 at half-time and continued to trouble Northampton after the break, with Finn Russell pulling the strings and the likes of Arthur Green, Kepu Tuipulotu and Tom Carr-Smith causing problems throughout. But Saints were simply operating at another level whenever they found space. Fin Smith was excellent in directing the attack, Alex Mitchell repeatedly exploited gaps around the defensive line, and Tommy Freeman helped himself to two tries. The headline performance, however, belonged to Ollie Sleightholme, whose hat-trick was a reminder of just how dangerous he is when Northampton get quick ball and allow their back three to attack broken-field opportunities. Having lost to Bristol the previous weekend, Phil Dowson will be delighted with the attacking response, even if conceding 48 points leaves plenty to work on. For Bath, scoring seven tries and still losing by 23 points is a fairly uncomfortable statistic. Their attack remains one of the most dangerous in the league, but they cannot expect to compete for silverware while defending like that. For everyone watching, though, it was hard to complain about the entertainment.
N. Caluori (4'), A. O'Driscoll (50'), Penalty Try (60'), J. Bracken (63')
Tries
H. Randall (46')
O. Farrell (51')
Conversions
J. Williams (47')
O. Farrell (9', 25')
Penalties
After watching Northampton and Bath throw defensive caution out of the window earlier in the afternoon, Saracens offered a rather different reminder of how Premiership rugby can be won. The hosts arrived looking to respond to their surprise defeat against Sale, while Bristol travelled to North London with two victories from two and growing confidence following their impressive win over Northampton. What followed was a disciplined, controlled performance from Saracens, who made Bristol work for absolutely everything. Noah Caluori marked his return from injury with an early try, while Owen Farrell, making his first appearance of the league campaign, helped establish control through his kicking and game management. Even an early yellow card for Olamide Sodeke failed to derail the hosts, who defended their line impressively and took an 11-0 lead into the interval. Bristol briefly threatened a comeback when Harry Randall finished an excellent counterattack early in the second half, but that was as good as it got for Pat Lam's side. Replacement Alex O'Driscoll made an immediate impact, a dominant driving maul resulted in a penalty try, and Jack Bracken's late finish secured the bonus point. Maro Itoje and Ben Earl were particularly influential in a forward performance that repeatedly disrupted Bristol's rhythm.Bristol rested Pedro Rubiolo, AJ MacGinty and Steven Luatua because of concerns about the artificial pitch, but that shouldn't detract from the quality of Saracens' response. After a disappointing outing against Sale, this was far closer to the performance expected from a side with genuine title ambitions.
E. Canakaivata (10'), G. Warr (37'), B. Bamber (62'), Penalty Try (73')
Tries
S. Riley (2', 52'), M. Smith (7', 18')
G. Ford (11', 38', 63')
Conversions
M. Smith (18', 53')
For about an hour, it looked like Harlequins had finally found the answer to their early-season problems. Having lost their opening two matches, including that fairly disastrous 48-0 defeat at Gloucester, Quins arrived in Salford desperately needing a response. The return of Marcus Smith provided exactly the spark they had been missing, with the England fly-half crossing twice as the visitors built a 17-7 advantage. Sam Riley was also heavily involved, and for the first time this season, Harlequins looked like a side playing with genuine confidence and purpose. Sale, however, refused to let the contest get away from them. Gus Warr's try just before half-time kept the Sharks within touching distance, although Riley's second score after the restart restored Quins' ten-point cushion. From there, things began to unravel. Ben Bamber crossed to bring Sale back into contention before Riley went from one of Harlequins' most influential performers to the centre of the game's decisive moment. The hooker was shown a yellow card for illegally preventing a try, with the referee awarding a penalty try that handed Sale the lead. The hosts managed the closing stages and secured their second consecutive victory, building on last weekend's impressive win at Saracens. For Harlequins, there were undoubtedly improvements, particularly with Smith back directing their attack, but another defeat leaves them winless after three rounds. Two bonus points offer some consolation, although letting a ten-point lead slip against a Sale side missing Tom Curry through illness will be difficult to accept. The performance was better. The result, unfortunately, was painfully familiar.
R. Vintcent (0', 10'), H. Slade (19'), S. Harris (44'), B. Tchumbadze (76')
Tries
C. Wade (4', 34', 48'), M. Hicks (13')
H. Slade (1', 20', 45')
Conversions
Z. Henry (5', 14', 35', 49')
H. Slade (63')
Penalties
Christian Wade has spent much of his career making defenders look rather foolish, and at Sandy Park he took another enormous step towards Premiership history. The 35-year-old crossed three times to reach 100 career Premiership tries, leaving him just one behind Chris Ashton's all-time record of 101. Unfortunately for Newcastle, Wade's personal milestone wasn't enough to secure their first victory of the season, with Exeter eventually emerging from a chaotic contest 34-28. The Chiefs made an extraordinary start through Ross Vintcent, who charged down a clearance to score inside the opening minute, before the Italian international added a second and Henry Slade produced a superb individual effort. Yet Newcastle refused to disappear, with Wade's first two tries helping them establish a 21-19 half-time lead. Exeter regained control through debutant Sam Harris early in the second half, only for Wade to complete his hat-trick after pouncing on a loose Slade pass and kicking ahead to score his landmark try. It was a moment worthy of the occasion, but the visitors couldn't quite finish the job. Slade's long-range penalty put Exeter back in front before Bachuki Tchumbadze crossed from a late driving maul to secure the win. For Rob Baxter, this was a much-needed first victory after defeats against Gloucester and Bath, although the defensive lapses and errors will remain a concern. Newcastle can take encouragement from competing so closely, and two bonus points are a reward for their efforts, but three defeats from three tell their own story. As for Wade, the record now feels like a question of when rather than if. One more try to draw level with Ashton, two to stand alone at the top. Not bad for someone who spent several years away from rugby union chasing an NFL career.
Three rounds down and the Premiership is already proving almost impossible to predict. Gloucester remain top of the table despite their first defeat, while Northampton, Saracens, Leicester and Bath are all just one point behind on 11, leaving the early title picture wide open. The Saints' attacking quality remains extraordinary, although their defensive record will need attention if they're to successfully defend their title. Leicester are beginning to look increasingly comfortable with their physical, forward-led approach, while Saracens demonstrated that there is still considerable value in making life miserable for your opponents. Bristol and Bath will both be frustrated after surrendering their unbeaten starts, although neither should be panicking after one defeat. At the other end, Exeter finally have a victory to build on, while Newcastle continue to show signs of improvement without collecting the wins they desperately need. Harlequins remain the biggest concern, with three defeats and a growing sense that their problems extend beyond the absence of key players. And then there's Christian Wade, who has somehow managed to make a Newcastle defeat one of the weekend's biggest stories. With European rugby up next before the Premiership returns for derby weekend, there is plenty for every club to think about. One thing is already clear: anyone expecting a predictable season might want to reconsider.
