The
new season began with a bang; tries galore and some inevitable TMO
tension. But while most of the top teams put down markers, supporters
of London Welsh and Gloucester will already be returning to the
drawing board and studying the fixture list with some concern.
The
defending champions Northampton Saints started the weekend in
imperious and impressive style, setting the stakes high on Friday
night as they took on the Cherry and Whites at Franklin's Gardens.
George North stole the show and contributed with a hat-trick to
Northampton's eight tries against the recently revamped Gloucester.
North was fleet of foot, took on fast inside balls and stomped his
authority all over the pitch, playing sensationally. But this was a
team effort from Northampton, emphasising their versatility and
ability to grow, switching the play so effortlessly from their backs
to the forwards and showing creativity and character in numbers.
Quick concise offloads and organised overlaps saw a crucifying 53-6
defeat to Gloucester. No one said 26 new signings would be a quick
fix, this West-Country squad need to be shaped and it will take time.
All
eyes were on Twickenham on Saturday as 66,164 spectators packed out
the stadium for the London Double Header. It was a game that saw
sparkle from the likes of Nathan Hughes, Ashley Johnson and Joe
Simpson for the Wasps but only in the second half. Saracens’
David Strettle was another hat-trick hero, as last season’s beaten
Premiership finalists made a winning return. They beat Wasps 34-28
but it could have gone either way. With two minutes to go, Wasps
were leading 28-27 and were just five metres short of the Sarries’
try-line, when they gave away a penalty. Moments later, Strettle was
completing his hat-trick of tries at the other end, after lengthy
deliberation by the TMO. And for a third consecutive year, the
Wasps had been left red-faced!
Leicester’s
Niki Goneva joined the club to score a hat-trick of tries and show
the Premiership how it should be done. Against a very resilient
Falcons defence, he crossed the whitewash three times in the second
half and fly-half Freddie Burns stuck true to form, kicking four
penalties and two conversions for the Tigers taking Leicester to a
comfortable 36-17 victory over the Newcastle Falcons.
The
other bonus point winners of the weekend were Exeter Chiefs who gave
London Welsh a real walloping welcome back to the Premiership,
running in seven tries and winning 52-0! Man of the Match Ryan
Caldwell said they couldn’t have asked for a better start to the
season, while the London Welsh head coach Justin Burnell said: “We
have got to pick ourselves up and rectify those missed tackles.
We’ve got to sort it out and move forward.”
Ominously
Welsh have to travel to Bath in Round Two, who came away from Sale
with a 29-20 victory. But it was a hard fought match with many
errors and salvaged by George Ford who kicked five penalties and
converted tries by Anthony Watson and Semesa Rokoduguni to secure the
win. Jennings and Easter secured tries for Sale with Danny Cipriani
kicking the rest of their points.
The
Harlequins team walked to Twickenham for the other half of the London
Double Header with London Irish. But although they led 20-6 at half
time, they failed to score at all in the second half and their
ill-discipline (two players yellow-carded) almost cost them dear.
Quins looked shaky and really out of sorts and none of their England
players made any real mark. London Irish pushed themselves to the limits, winning the scrums and Shane Geraghty was consistent
throughout, kicking all 15 of the Irish points but it just wasn't quite enough to seal the deal and the Harlequins scraped the win by the skin of their
teeth, 20-15.