We round up all you need to know from the action in the Aviva Premiership on Friday night as Tom Varndell became the stand-alone top try-scorer.
Bath 32-30 Northampton
Rhys Priestland’s dramatic last-minute penalty earned Bath victory over Northampton Saints in a thrilling Premiership match at The Rec.
FT: @bathrugby 32 – 30 @SaintsRugby. @Rhys_Priestland with the last kick of the game. Phenomenal. A real treat from The Rec #AvivaPrem pic.twitter.com/6KVtOWTmjS
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) February 10, 2017
Saints’ Jamie Gibson thought he had won it when he bundled over, soon after Chris Cook’s superb solo try for Bath.
The hosts led 19-6 at half-time thanks to tries from Paul Grant, Semesa Rokoduguni and a penalty try.
Former England fullback Ben Foden and Api Ratuniyarawa added scores for Saints after the break, before Priestland’s nerveless, last-gasp kick secured the hosts narrow home win.
For Bath:
Tries: Grant, Rokoduguni, Penalty Try, Cook
Cons: Priestland 3
Pens: Priestland 2
Yellow Card: Palma-Newport
For Northampton:
Tries: Foden, Ratuniyarawa, Gibson
Cons: Myler 3
Pen: Myler 3
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Max Clark, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Jack Wilson, 10 Rhys Priestland (cc), 9 Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Paul Grant, 7 Francois Louw (cc), 6 Tom Ellis, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Elliott Stooke, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nathan Catt
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 David Denton, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Chris Cook, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Harry Davies
Northampton: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 Nafi Tuitavake, 12 Harry Mallinder, 11 Ben Foden (c), 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Sam Dickinson, 7 Teimana Harrison, 6 Jamie Gibson 5 Christian Day, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 James Wilson
Bristol 8-42 Harlequins
Tom Varndell’s 91st and record Premiership try was in vain as Harlequins overpowered bottom side Bristol at Ashton Gate.
The #AvivaPrem‘s all-time try-scorer.
Congratulations, Tom Varndell! 👏🏆🏉 pic.twitter.com/99jTdeswFY
— BT Sport Rugby (@btsportrugby) February 10, 2017
Varndell cancelled out England U20 srae Joe Marchant’s early Quins score to surpass Mark Cueto’s tally of 90, but then picked up a knock in scoring and was withdrawn.
Mark Reddish, Charlie Mulchrone and Matt Hopper tries added to Quins’ 13-8 half-time lead and secured the bonus point victory.
James Chisholm’s late score was salt in the wound to the home side as Quins continue to climb the Premiership table.
For Bristol:
Try: Varndell
Pen: Woodward
Yellow Card: Bevington
For Harlequins:
Tries: Marchant, Reddish, Mulchrone, Hopper, Chisholm
Cons: Jackson 3, Swiel
Pens: Jackson 2, Swiel
Yellow Card: Visser
Bristol: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Jack Wallace, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Tusi Pisi, 11 Tom Varndell, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Mitch Eadie, 7 Olly Robinson (c), 6 Nick Fenton-Wells, 5 Ben Glynn, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Gaston Cortes, 2 Rob Hawkins, 1 Ryan Bevington
Replacements: 16 Max Crumpton, 17 Jack O’Connell, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 Mark Sorenson, 20 Jack Lam, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Thretton Palamo, 23 David Lemi
Harlequins: 15 Ross Chisholm, 14 Marland Yarde, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Matt Hopper, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Charlie Mulchrone, 8 Mat Luamanu, 7 Dave Ward, 6 James Chisholm, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 George Merrick, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Rob Buchanan, 1 Owen Evans
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Matt Shields, 18 Tyler Gendall, 19 Mark Reddish, 20 George Naoupu, 21 Luc Jones, 22 Tim Swiel, 23 Alofa Alofa
Sale 26-24 Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons had to make do with a pair of losing bonus points at Sale Sharks on Friday night as Vereniki Goneva ran in a hat-trick of tries.
Will Addison’s late penalty clinched a see-saw Aviva Premiership encounter in which both teams gave it absolutely everything.
Steve Diamond’s Sharks were 23-12 up but a brace of breakaway tries from Vereniki Goneva meant they headed into the final minutes 23-24 down.
The centre, Addison, then kept his nerve to slot the final points to secure Sale a narrow victory while Newcastle had to settle for a pair of losing bonus-points.