Sam Simmonds' late try helped Exeter clinch victory over Bath in the Gallagher Premiership; Northampton ended a five-game losing run with a win away to Bristol; Gloucester held off Wasps in a thriller.
Friday 26 November 2021 22:37, UK
Exeter Chiefs snatched victory over Bath in Friday's Gallagher Premiership clash at the Recreation Ground, while Northampton Saints and Gloucester also won on the road.
Bath's best and bravest performance of a dismal season was still not enough to stave off an eighth successive defeat in the Premiership as Exeter triumphed.
The hosts led 16-13 until three minutes from time, when Exeter No 8 Sam Simmonds powered off the back of a scrum, with England team-mate Henry Slade adding the conversion. There was still time for Sam's younger brother Joe to add a penalty too.
Miles Reid's try and the kicking of Orlando Bailey, who converted the flanker's score and kicked three penalties, looked to have put Bath in a good position to go on and claim a much-needed win.
But Slade kept their West Country rivals in touch with two penalties, as did Josh Iosefa-Scott's converted try three minutes into the second half before Simmonds came up with the game-breaking moment five minutes from time.
Bath had looked equal to the challenge for much of the game, but a losing bonus point leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table, looking to recruit a defence coach after an external review into their abysmal form ahead of Friday's match.
Northampton ended a five-game Premiership losing streak against Bristol by claiming an impressive victory at Ashton Gate.
It was Saints' first win in the fixture since 2018 and halted Bristol's minor recovery that had seen them claim back-to-back successes against London Irish and Worcester Warriors.
But while Bristol remain in the Premiership's bottom three, Northampton comfortably retained a top-half place and they did it in bonus-point fashion.
Winger Tommy Freeman scored two tries, and there were also scores for prop Paul Hill and full-back George Furbank, with Dan Biggar kicking four penalties and two conversions.
Bristol were level early in the second half, but they then fell away after tries from hooker Jake Kerr and centre Alapati Leiua, while Biggar's opposite number Callum Sheedy added two penalties and two conversions.
Gloucester held off a final-quarter rally from Wasps to claim a 35-33 victory in a hard-fought encounter at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The visitors, for whom fly-half Adam Hastings kicked 15 points, led 23-5 and 35-19 at varying stages in the game but a late yellow card for their England wing Jonny May gave Wasps the impetus they needed and they nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback.
Wasps outscored their opponents by five tries to four with Jacob Umaga scoring two - to go along with four conversions - after Thomas Young, Gabriel Oghre and Alfie Barbeary had crossed.
Billy Twelvetrees touched down twice for Gloucester in between scores from May and Jack Clement, with Hastings slotting over three penalties and three conversions.
Injury-ravaged Wasps also suffered two further blows ahead of the game when Ali Crossdale and Marcus Watson both withdrew from the starting line-up to take their casualty list to 19.
