ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP Harlequins 11 Saracens 19:LEAGUE LEADERS Harlequins lost their unbeaten league record this season when champions Saracens beat them 19-11 in front of a record crowd at Twickenham yesterday.
The match between the Premiership’s top two teams sold around 82,000 tickets in advance, ensuring a world record attendance for a regular season league match.
A try by England international David Strettle and four penalties by Owen Farrell sealed victory for Saracens. Quins trailed 16-6 at halftime and although prop Joe Marler scored a try soon after the interval to reduce the deficit, Saracens hung on comfortably enough to close the gap at the top to five points.
Elsewhere, London Irish moved into third spot thanks to a tough 29-22 win over Exeter at the Madejski Stadium. Centres Joe Ansbro and Shontayne Hape grabbed the London Irish tries, while wing Tom Homer landed 19 points via five penalties and two conversions.
Exeter were always behind but managed a losing bonus point after fullback Luke Arscott got a try in the second half while outhalf Ignacio Mieres kicked five penalties and a conversion.
Irish led 19-9 at the interval.
Leicester extended their unbeaten Premiership run to five games after brushing Worcester aside 32-13 at a sold-out Sixways.
England star Toby Flood ran the show and the Tigers never looked back once they had built a 17-point lead early in the second quarter following tries by Flood and wing Matt Smith.
Outhalf Flood kicked another 12 points while Leicester and England lock Louis Deacon sealed Tigers’ victory with a 60th-minute try after wing Marcel Garvey’s touchdown briefly threatened a Worcester revival. Wing Horacio Agulla then crossed a minute from time to secure a bonus point victory for Leicester. Joe Carlisle added two penalties and a conversion for Worcester but they remain only one place above bottom club Newcastle at the league season’s halfway point.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Friday: Pro 12– Ulster v Munster, Ravenhill, 7.05pm ( live BBC and RTÉ).
Sunday: Pro 12– Connacht v Leinster, Sportsground, 5pm ( live TG4).
Monday: Ireland Under-20s v Ulster Ravens, Donnybrook, time TBC.
