World in Union: Aviva Premiership Round 15 Review.

Thank you to our friends at Aviva and premiershiprugby.com, for the review of Round 15 Aviva Premiership.

As the fight for a top four position and a place in the Aviva Premiership Rugby Semi-Finals intensified, Round 15 of Aviva Premiership Rugby saw some exciting, highly-competitive close games with four out of the six matches finishing with only three points or less between the two sides.

At the Recreation Ground on Saturday, teenager Ryan Mills' penalty gave Gloucester Rugby victory to complete a season double over local rivals Bath Rugby, and move his side up to sixth place in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table. The 19-year-old England Under-20 cap, on as a replacement, calmly slotted the crucial three-pointer with 10 minutes to play of a fiercely contested West Country derby that saw tries from Tom Biggs and Tom Heathcote for Bath, and Nick Wood for Gloucester. Final score: Bath Rugby 11, Gloucester Rugby 14.


Over at Adams Park, the reliable boot of Exeter Chiefs' fly-half Ignacio Mieres kicked five penalties to give the visitors a hard-fought win over London Wasps. Despite dominating possession for long periods of the match, and Nick Robinson slotting over four penalties, the home side could not break through the Chiefs' solid defence. The result leaves Wasps in the relegation danger-zone of 11th place in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table with Exeter Chiefs in fifth. Final score: London Wasps 12, Exeter Chiefs 15.


Ryan Shortland's interception try handed Newcastle Falcons a relegation lifeline as they scrambled to victory over London Irish at Kingston Park. Tries came from Sailosi Tagicakibau for Irish and from Shortland for the Falcons, with the home side coming back from 10-6 down at half-time to win with 14 men after the sending-off of lock Adriaan Fondse in the 60th minute. With Wasps losing to Exeter the gap at the bottom of the Aviva Premiership Rugby table is now down to six points between the Falcons and Wasps, but Newcastle now face two tough matches in succession with a trip to Leicester and a home clash with Harlequins. Final score: Newcastle Falcons 19, London Irish 10.


Over at Franklin's Gardens, Stephen Myler kicked seven penalties and Ryan Lamb a drop goal as Northampton Saints defeated Sale Sharks in a bruising contest. Mark Cueto scored the only try of the match for Sale Sharks, supported by four penalties slotted over by Nick Macleod, in a game dominated by the boot. The win means that Northampton Saints maintain their position as third in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table with Sale Sharks dropping to seventh. Final score: Northampton Saints 24, Sale Sharks 17.


The combined might of Nick Evans' boot and the Harlequins pack helped the Aviva Premiership Rugby leaders maintain their impressive season to date by edging out Worcester Warriors at the Twickenham Stoop. A pre-match downpour in south-west London reduced the game to a battle up front and Evans' 11 points proved the difference between the sides. Warriors came away with a losing bonus point and maintained their position of 10th in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table. Final score: Harlequins 16, Worcester Warriors 14.


On Sunday, Leicester Tigers' skipper Geordan Murphy ended Saracens' unbeaten home record with a sensational drop-goal from the last kick of a gripping Aviva Premiership Rugby contest. Saracens were on track for victory at Vicarage Road when Tigers launched an intense 26-phase attack that ended Murphy's goal. Saracens' last home defeat was to Exeter in October 2010. The result means Leicester Tigers maintain their play-off position of fourth in the Aviva Premiership Rugby table with Saracens in second. Final score: Saracens 19, Leicester Tigers 20.