Game 1
The opening week of the 2013 premiership kicked off with a windy and rain-soaked affair at Kingston Park, with Bath out-muscling the Falcons 21-0. The Falcons had no answer to Bath’s master class tactical kicking and forward supremacy. Newcastle will need to up their game if they want to survive this year.
Bath 21 Sale 0
Tries: Perenise, penalty Tries:
Cons: Ford Cons:
Pens: Ford 3 Pens:
Game 2
The Saracens and their Wolf Pack put London Irish to the sword, 42-20, with the Iceman, Owen Farrell, pulling the leash. Saracens Hooker, Jamie George, going over for 2 tries in the first half, followed by Mako Vunipola and Chris Ashton scoring in the second, with Ashton in the last play of the game, securing the bonus point win. Farrell’s boot alone could have put Irish away, with him putting 22 points on the score sheet. Irish never really got into the game, only showing moments and flashes of brilliance, with the try of the game coming from a beautiful, sweeping move which lead to another England winger, Marland Yard, running in the try.
LONDON IRISH 20 SARACENS 42
Tries: Low, Yarde Tries: George 2, Vunipola, Ashton
Cons: Humphreys 2 Cons: Farrell 2
Pens: Humphreys 2 Pens: Farrell 6
Game 3
Sale Sharks opened their campaign with a shocking win over Gloucester Rugby, at Kingsholm. Tries by Mark Cueto and Andy Forsyth, alongside three first half penalties from Nick Macleod and Tom Arscott, saw Sale leading by 19-3 for the first hour of the game. Despite being reduced to 14 men, (Billy Twelevetrees being sin binned for a dangerous tackle) Gloz finally scored, with Henry Trinder cutting a wonderful line through the Gloucester defense, to go under the posts. Freddie Burns added the conversion and adding two more penalties, reducing the deficit to 19-16. However, a late drop goal from replacement fly half Joe Ford saw Sale the victors on the day.
Gloucester 16 Sale sharks 22
Tries: Tinder Tries: Forsyth, Cueto
Cons: Burns Cons:
Pens: Burns 3 Pens: Macleod, Arscott 2
DG: Ford
Game 4
Northampton showed their class by running in 5 tries, beating Exeter 38-11. Despite having their three big names on display, it was Luther Burrell who stole the show. First, setting up Dylan Hartley for a 2nd minute try. He then fed the ball to Ken Pisi, who darted over for the Saints second try. It was then time for two of England’s forgotten men to shine, with Ben Foden, kicking and collecting the ball past a sleepy Chiefs defense and neatly offloading to Tom Wood who ran in for an easy try. The next try came from a good phase of rugby that saw the ball pass between 9 sets of hands, sending George Pisi in at the corner. Exeter salvaged some pride with Dean Mumm going over in the second half. However all chances of a Cheifs comeback were lost when replacement, Samu Manoa, went over from a driving maul. Stephen Myler had a great day with the boot kicking 6 from 6 and adding 13 points.
Northampton Saints 38 Exeter Chiefs 11
Tries: K Pisi, G Pisi, Hartley, Tries: Mumm
Wood, Manoa
Cons: Myler 5 Cons:
Pens: Myler Pens: Steenson 2
Game 5
London Wasps V Harlequins, last year saw 82 points scored. This year’s encounter, however, was substantially more dramatic, though fewer points were scored. Both teams showed their class in what was a strategically impressive match, with the final kick of the game bouncing off the left upright. Wasps started brighter with Joe Launchbury going over in the first minute of the game and Goode converting, Wasps lead 7-0. Nick Evens saw his first two attempts at goal go wide, but finally he landed a kick on the 13th minute. However Goode returned the point’s difference back to 7, when right from the restart Quins were pinged for obstruction.
The second half, however, saw Quins in the Wasps half for the majority of the game, leading to Evens slotting two more shots at goal. They finally crossed the white line when after a long period of pressure replacement scrum half Karl Dickson darted over for the five points. Evens converted the simple kick bringing the scores to 10-16. Wasps then began stringing phases together, putting the pressure back on Quins. Dubious officiating saw the 2012 champ’s being able to relieve the pressure, but persistent work from the Wasps saw Tom Palmer going over in the corner with the last play of the game. But the resulting kick hit the bar and Quins, who had been the better team in the second half, ran out winners.
London Wasps 15 Harlequins 16
Tries:, Launchbury, Palmer Tries: Dickson
Cons: Goode Cons: Evans
Pens: Goode Pens: Evans 3
Game 6
Niki Goneva, Adam Thompstone, David Mele and Jordan Crane ran in tries as defending champions, Leicester Tigers, saw off a new look, Worcester Warriors side 32-15. Ryan Lamb showed his class multiple times, putting Tiger players in to space and finding holes in the Warriors defence. Both sides were starting with new half back pairings, with Mele and Lamb proving to be the better. Former Chief’s fly-half Ignacio Mieres, however was unable to get a grip on his sides attack, making multiple handling errors and missing simple kicks at goal. Tigers got their first try of the season through Thompstone after the wing latched onto a well-executed grubber kick from Niall Morris. Tigers scored another try on the stroke of half time when scrum half Mele collected a deft offload from loose-forward Tom Croft, sending Tigers into the break at 18-3.
The second half started like the first with the Tigers putting pressure on the Warriors leading to stand-in skipper Crane scoring and Lamb converting. Worcester showed signs of a fight back, when the Tigers defenses were caught napping and the Warriors striking first with center Josh Matavesi and then replacement Chris Jones, both crossing for tries. But Leicester was too strong and with the last play of the game secured the win and the bonus points though Niki Goneva.
Leicester Tigers 32 Worcester Warriors 15
Tries: Goneva, Thompstone, Mele, Crane Tries: Matavesi, Jones
Cons: Lamb 2 Cons: Mieres
Pens: Lamb 2 Pens: Mieres
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photo credit: Fearless Fred via photopin cc
