Quins keep top four hopes alive, Saints topple Sarries
PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Harlequins scored seven tries as they sealed a bonus-point 48-20 victory over Newcastle Falcons at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.
Falcons star Mateo Carreras continued his fine form with an opening score 27 minutes in, though tries from Andre Esterhuizen and the returning Louis Lynagh handed Quins a two-point lead at the break.
Tries from Alex Dombrandt and Josh Bassett pushed Harlequins to a 22-13 lead with less than half an hour to go, though Freddie Lockwood’s score saw Falcons close the gap to just two points.
However, a second score from Dombrandt and added tries from Dino Lamb, Joe Marchant and Fin Baxter ended any hopes of a Falcons comeback as the hosts eased to victory.
The victory boosts Harlequins' slim chances of claiming a playoff spot, while the Falcons stay at the bottom of the table.
* Saints will occupy fourth spot heading into the final two rounds but will need other results to go their way if they are to play any part in the post-season bonanza, having played at least a game more than their rivals.
Phil Dowson's side fulfilled their end of the bargain at Franklin's Gardens, toppling league-leaders Saracens thanks in part to an eighth-minute red card for Sarries' Duncan Taylor.
Rotimi Segun crossed first for the visitors who started brightest before centre Taylor was dismissed for a high tackle.
Sarries added to their lead with a Manu Vunipola penalty but Saints then scored 19 unanswered points to hold a nine-point lead at the break.
Alex Moon, captain Lewis Ludlam and Tommy Freeman all touched down before the lead was stretched to 21-points thanks to second-half tries from Rory Hutchinson and Fin Smith.
Vunipola scored to reduce the arrears before Fraser Dingwall made sure of the points, though Sarries did secure a bonus-point thanks to a late Segun score.
All the scores and scorers
Harlequins 48-20 Newcastle Falcons
For Harlequins:
Tries: Esterhuizen, Lynagh, Bassett, Dombrandt 2, Lamb, Marchant, Baxter
Cons: Smith 4
For Newcastle:
Tries: Carreras, Lockwood Cons: Connon 2
Pens: Connon 2
Harlequins:15 Nick David, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Andre Esterhuizen,
11 Cadan Murley, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain), 7 Will Evans, 6 Luke Wallace, 5 Irne Herbst, 4 Dino Lamb, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Sam Riley, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 George Hammond, 20 Jack Kenningham, 21 Lewis Gjaltema, 22 Oscar Beard, 23 Josh Bassett
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Ben Stevenson, 12 Matias Moroni, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Michael Young (captain); 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Mark Tampin, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 6 Pedro Rubiolo, 7 Callum Chick, 8 Carl Fearns.
Replacements: 16 Conrad Cade, 17 Logovi’i Mulipola, 18 Conor Kenny, 19 Freddie Lockwood, 20 Tom Marshall, 21 Sam Stuart, 22 Josh Thomas, 23 Pete Lucock.
Assistant Referees: Sara Cox and Peter Allan
Referee: Matthew Carley
TMO: Claire Hodnett.
Northampton Saints 38 Saracens 29
For Northampton:
Tries: Moon, Ludlam, Freeman, Hutchinson, Smith, Dingwall
Cons: Smith 4
For Saracens :
Tries: Segun 2, Vunipola, Dan
Cons: Vunipola 3
Pen: Vunipola
Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 James Ramm, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Alex Waller, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 David Ribbans, 5 Alex Moon, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 8 Juarno Augustus
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 21 Sam Graham, 22 Tom James, 23 Tom Collins
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode (cc), 14 Rotimi Segun, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Olly Hartley, 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Ruben de Haas; 1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Callum Hunter-Hill, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 7 Toby Knight, 8 Jackson Wray (cc)
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Nathan Michelow, 20 Ben Earl, 21 Ivan van Zyl, 22 Josh Hallett, 23 Ben Harris
Assistant Referees: Tom Foley and Wayne Falla. TMO: David Rose.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Source: @Premiership