Gallagher Premiership: Leicester Tigers boost play-off hopes at Gloucester | London Irish beat Sale Sharks
Gallagher Premiership results - Friday: Northampton Saints 45-26 Bath; Saturday: Exeter Chiefs 24-5 Newcastle Falcons; Sunday: Gloucester 5-26 Leicester Tigers, London Irish 36-18 Sale Sharks, Bristol Bears 51-26 Harlequins
Last Updated: 12/03/23 11:02pm
A round-up of Sunday's Gallagher Premiership action as Leicester Tigers won at Gloucester and London Irish beat Sale Sharks, while Bristol Bears thumped Harlequins.
Gloucester 5-26 Leicester Tigers
Leicester won 26-5 at Kingsholm to keep alive their hopes of an end-of-season play-off spot.
After going in scoreless at the break, the Tigers powered on for a bonus-point victory in the second half with tries from Mike Brown, Julian Montoya, Ben Youngs and Jasper Wiese, with Handre Pollard adding three conversions.
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Gloucester's sole response was a Jonny May try, with this defeat a bitter blow to their play-off hopes.
It was Leicester's sixth consecutive win over Gloucester and their 14th in the last 17 fixtures between the clubs to maintain their recent dominance in the fixture.
London Irish 36-18 Sale Sharks
London Irish gave their play-off aspirations a boost as they overcame second-placed Sale 36-18 in a compelling battle at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Tries from Hugh O'Sullivan, Agustin Creevy, Lucio Cinti, Tarek Haffar and James Stokes secured the bonus-point victory.
Jean-Luc du Preez and Sam Dugdale's scores had kept the game within reach for the Sharks until the closing minutes, before two late home tries sealed matters.
George Ford, who is knocking on Steve Borthwick's door following a spell in his England camp earlier this week, reduced the arrears for Sale to just four points with a penalty in the second half, but Irish used that as a catalyst to make sure of the win.
Firstly, marauding second row Tom Pearson broke free of a tackle, before Josh Caulfield passed outward to allow prop Haffar to show his pace as he crossed for the score.
Irish then capped it off as a cross-field kick was retrieved by Cinti was this time passed inside to Stokes, allowing the Exiles faithful to get the party started.
Bristol Bears 51-26 Harlequins
Bristol Bears continued their climb up the Gallagher Premiership table with an impressive 51-26 win over Harlequins at Ashton Gate.
The Bears scored seven tries, with Harry Thacker and Charles Piutau both recording doubles and Gabriel Ibitoye, Semi Radradra and Harry Randall also crossing.
Harlequins flanker Jack Kenningham scored a try double of his own from close-range drives while wingers Josh Bassett and Cadan Murley ensured the visitors returned home with a bonus point.
After four Premiership wins on the bounce, Bristol are now seven points from the play-off places with a game in hand over their rivals. Harlequins sit eighth, one point and one place below the Bears.