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In the end, nothing changed. Four teams began the day in the Gallagher Premiership playoff places, and those four teams ended the day in the same position.
In the end, nothing changed. Four teams began the day in the Gallagher Premiership playoff places, and those four teams ended the day in the same position.
After all the ups and downs, Bath, Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks and Bristol Bears, finished as they started.
That means Bath will host Bristol Bears in a west country derby on Friday, while Leicester welcome Bristol on Saturday.
Runaway leaders Bath visited Saracens, one of the sides who needed a favour to reach the playoffs.
Segun (9'), George (19', 47'), Daly (30'), Dan (53'), Burke (59')
Tries
Green (5'), Offiah (64'), Tuipulotu (72'), Hennessey (75')
Burke (20', 31', 60')
Conversions
Bailey (6', 73', 75')
Shorn of the players who won the EPCR Challenge Cup last Friday they fell to a 36-26 defeat, but it mattered little, and their stars will be back next week.
Cotgreave (3', 25', 50'), Wade (30', 79'), Williams (33'), Atkinson (53')
Tries
Pearson (7'), Litchfield (16'), Weimann (47'), Mapu (59')
Carreras (4', 51', 54')
Conversions
Hutchinson (8', 16', 48')
SLIMMED DOWN SAINTS
Gloucester, who were in the same position as Saracens, fought back to beat Northampton Saints 36-26.
Saints rested their four British and Irish Lions, and most of the side who lost the Investec Champions Cup Final to Union Bordeaux Bègles last Saturday and ran out of gas after a good start.
Kloska (1'), Batley (4'), Ravouvou (19'), Mata (23'), Ibitoye (45', 63'), Grondona (57'), Rensburg (68')
Tries
Murley (16', 32'), Dombrandt (49'), Hammond (52')
MacGinty (2', 5', 24', 58', 64', 69')
Conversions
Benson (16', 50', 53')
Bristol Bears, the most vulnerable side, raced out of the blocks against Harlequins to secure a four-try bonus point by halftime.
Cadan Murley and Alex Dombrandt kept Quins in contention. Three tries between them will keep their England tour hopes alive, but Gabriel Ibitoye, another Red Rose hopeful, grabbed two scores after halftime to settle the nerves and help the Bears see out the match with an impressive 52-26 victory.
Brown-Bampoe (18'), Hodge (48'), Haydon-Wood (56'), Capstick (76')
Tries
Maasi-White (25'), Rodd (32'), Cowan-Dickie (67')
Hodge (49', 57', 77')
Conversions
Ford (25', 33', 68')
Penalties
Ford (1', 21', 52')
Further west Exeter Chiefs hosted Sale Sharks knowing their new coaching regime could lay a marker after an underwhelming season and they nearly pulled off a surprise win, but eventually Sale’s experience closed out a 30-26 win.
LATE, LATE DRAMA
Richard Capstick’s late try, and Josh Hodge’s conversion closed the gap to four points, the second time they’d been within a score, but George Ford’s experience helped Sale keep control and despite Exeter throwing everything at their guests they simply couldn’t get hold of the ball again.
Liebenberg (18'), Bassett (32'), Kata (52'), Heyes (60'), Rogerson (73'), Hassell-Collins (77')
Tries
Leatherbarrow (67'), Arnold (76')
Pollard (19', 33', 52', 61'), Volavola (74', 78')
Conversions
Connon (68', 77')
Penalties
Connon (16', 39')
Leicester needed a point against bottom side Newcastle Falcons, and it came on the hour mark when prop Joe Heyes crossed for the Tigers fourth, the fourth of sixth in a 42-20 win.
Victory sets up a mouthwatering clash of the flyhalves. Double World Cup winner Handré Pollard will face off against Ford, who in 2022 helped Tigers to the Premiership title in his final match for the club.
With Finn Russell back for Bath, the big guns will roll out on Friday night as Bristol aim to upset the form book.
The hope will be that the semifinals will come alight in a way that they failed to do so on a day that promised much.
