Premiership: Exeter go top as Saracens stumble

Omnisports

March 20, 2016 2:59 AM

Exeter enjoyed a comeback win over Northampton, while Saracens lost at Leicester, Wasps thumped Sale and London Irish pipped Gloucester.

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Exeter Chiefs'??20-12 victory over Northampton Saints was enough to take them to the top of the??Premiership at the expense of Saracens, who lost 21-13 to Leicester Tigers.

The Devon side piled on 17 unanswered second-half points to secure a hard-fought win at Sandy Park after tries from Lee Dickson and Ken Pisi had given the play-off chasing visitors a 12-3 half-time lead.

Olly Woodburn's five-pointer and four penalties from Gareth Steenson completed the second-half turnaround. ??

Saracens, meanwhile, were undone by a sparkling individual display from Freddie Burns at Welford Road, with the Leicester fly-half scoring 16 points in his side's victory.

The 25-year-old bagged a try, a conversion, two penalties and a drop-goal, with Vereniki Goneva also finding the line for the home side, while Alex Goode provided Saracens' solitary try.

In-form Wasps remain in third place after a comfortable 39-12 home win over Sale.

Charles Piutau, Rob Miller and Ashley Johnson all found the line to take the hosts out to a 25-0 half-time lead, with Jimmy Gopperth and Christian Wade adding further tries for Dai Young's side in the second half.

David Seymour and Neil Briggs replied for the visitors,??whose forgettable afternoon was compounded by the loss of centre Johnny Leota to a late red card.

Elsewhere, London Irish??kept their survival hopes alive with a dramatic 23-18 comeback win against Gloucester.

Tries from Henry Trinder and Lewis Ludlow had helped the visitors establish an 18-13 lead midway through the second half, but Blair Cowan's late effort and a 75th-minute penalty from Greig Tonks ultimately secured a desperately??needed four points for the hosts.

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