London Irish rout Newcastle to go back top
Mike Catt scored a try today
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Saturday, 03, Jan 2009 08:50
London Irish stormed back to the top of the Guinness Premiership with a thumping 48-8 win over the Newcastle Falcons today.
The Exiles ran in seven tries through Peter Hewat, Topsy Ojo, Steffon Armitage, Declan Danaher, Alex Corbisiero, Mike Catt and Seilala Mapusua. They were a massive 29-3 up by half-time and had secured a bonus try by the break.
The Irish were in scintillating attacking form all day with Shane Geraghty pulling all the strings. But they got a bit of luck for the first try as Ojo scored an interception try.
Newcastle themselves were to blame for the second try as they were caught sleeping at a line-out and England star Armitage scored an easy try from a short line-out.
The four try bonus point was secure for London Irish when first Danaher sprinted through an inviting gap in the Newcastle defence to score the try and then moments later Hewat was over for the try thanks to a superb pass from Elvis Seveali'i.
A demoralised Newcastle side scored a consolation try through Tim Visser, but that made little impact in the scoreline as London Irish went over three more times through Corbisiero, Catt and Mapusua.
Elsewhere, England star Olly Barkley kicked 17 points as Gloucester edge-out Saracens 22-16. The teams scored a try each as Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan crossed the try-line and Richard Haughton scored the try for Saracens. But it was five penalties and a conversion from Barkley which secured the points for Gloucester.
Bristol stayed rooted to the bottom of the table after they were crushed 30-8 by Northampton. Paul Diggin, Ben Foden and John Clark were the try scorers for Northampton.
The game between Worcester and Sale was called off earlier in the day due to a frozen pitch.