Exeter crush Newcastle to heap pressure on Saracens
Exeter kept the pressure on Saracens at the top of the English Premiership with a 32-17 victory over struggling Newcastle at Sandy Park on Saturday.
Tries from New Zealand-born Thomas Waldrom, Phil Dollman, Sam Hill and Elvis Taione, plus two penalties and three conversions by Irish fly-half Gareth Steenson saw Exeter earn a bonus point and move into first place in the table.
Second bottom Newcastle crossed through Tongans Sonatane Takulua and Nili Latu, while once-capped New Zealand international stand-off Mike Delany added a penalty and two conversions.
Exeter will surrender top spot if Saracens defeat bottom of the table London Irish in New York in the first Premiership game to be staged on foreign soil later on Saturday.
Wasps climbed to third place with a 36-24 win against Leicester at the Ricoh Arena.
Dai Young's side scored five tries in a bonus point win to leapfrog the Tigers.
Man-of-the-match Charles Piutau, a former New Zealand international, scored two, with the rest coming from wing Christian Wade, one-cap All Black Frank Halai and Fijian No.8 Nathan Hughes.
Australian international Peter Betham, who was gifted a try by Piutau, Tongan wing Telusa Veainu and Fiji flyer Vereniki Goneva replied for Leicester.
"It was a big statement. We know we have got the quality but sometimes you have to roll your sleeves up," said Wasps head coach Dai Young.
"Twelve months ago Leicester were too physical for us in the contact area, they smashed us.
"I thought today we controlled the gain line and we only started to concede when we went laterally."
Northampton came from behind to secure a 26-11 win at Franklin's Gardens and move into the top four.
Sale went 11-0 in front after 28 minutes thanks to a try by New Zealand international lock Bryn Evans and two penalties, but did not score another point as Northampton got their act together after the break with tries from Samoan Ken Pisi, Tom Collins and Irishman JJ Hanrahan to add to Mikey Haywood's three minutes before the half-time.
Worcester boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a 28-20 victory over Gloucester at Sixways.
New Zealand wing Bryce Heem crossed for two first-half tries and Niall Annett was also on the scoresheet as the third-bottom hosts recorded their fifth win of the season.