Gloucester seal seventh win

Gloucester notched up a seventh win in nine league outings with a comprehensive 40-19 defeat London Irish at Madejski Stadium yesterday. They also further cemented their position at the top of the league table with a bonus point after scoring four tries.

However, the game was much tighter than the scoreline suggested. An early penalty from Barry Everitt gave the home side the lead, before Gloucester's Adam Eustace powered over on the left wing after four minutes. Ludovic Mercier converted.

A penalty from Everitt and two from Mercier gave the visitors a 13-6 lead, before the Irish managed to claw level, though luck had a large part to play.

Good work from Darren Edwards set Michael Horak up to score but the full-back lost control of the ball with Andy Gomersall hot on his heels. However, the referee, Ashley Rowden, awarded a penalty try, which Everitt duly converted to make the score 16-16 at half-time.

But the second half belonged to Gloucester. Junior Paramore muscled over after the restart. Everitt's penalty then proved only a blip in the Gloucester onslaught. James Forrester and Jake Boer added tries, before the Argentinian prop, Rodrigo Roncero, rounded off with an injury-time converted try.

The defeat was a blow to Irish on a day when their nearest rivals, Bristol and Bath, both won.

Bath ended their miserable seven-game run without a Premiership victory after staging an impressive fightback to sink Sale at the Rec. Sale had built a 15-8 half-time lead, but an admirable display of character and commitment from Bath saw their visitors' advantage wiped out.

A second-half penalty try, awarded when the Sale debutant Warren Spragg hauled down Bath's Simon Danielli after the wing had kicked clear, settled the encounter.

Tom Voyce claimed an early try for the home side, while Olly Barkley kicked 11 points and the substitute fly-half Chris Malone dropped a goal to counteract touchdowns by Steve Hanley and Graeme Bond, plus Nick Walshe's two penalties and one conversion.

Bristol were in awesome form as they thrashed Newcastle 38-10 at the Memorial Ground. Bristol rattled up 31 first-half points with five tries, two of them from Phil Christophers. Newcastle finally got a try on the board in the second half when Epi Taione was twice involved in a move which saw the big Tongan force his way over, and Liam Botham converted.

At Vicarage Road, Saracens beat Harlequins 36-30 thanks to a last-minute try from Andy Kershaw. Andy Goode's conversion ensured the home side victory.