Premiership round-up: Saracens beat Bristol Bears; Northampton, Wasps defeat London Irish, Newcastle; Bath and Sale draw | Rugby Union News

Gallagher Premiership weekend action – Saturday: Saracens 27-23 Bristol Bears, London Irish 22-42 Northampton Saints, Bath 24-24 Sale Sharks, Wasps 27-24 Newcastle Falcons; Sunday: Exeter Chiefs vs Leicester Tigers (3pm); Gloucester vs Worcester Warriors cancelled

Max Malins scored twice as Saracens beat Bristol at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Recap Saturday’s Premiership action as Saracens won again, Northampton and Wasps were also victorious, while Bath and Sale drew.

Saracens 27-23 Bristol Bears

Max Malins scored two tries as Saracens won their third game in a row in the Gallagher Premiership by narrowly defeating Bristol Bears 27-23 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The first rugby game at the venue was also Sarries and England captain Owen Farrell’s first in four months after injuries to both ankles and he kicked 12 points before being forced off with a knock to the head after 70 minutes.

The result did not come without a dramatic finish, however, as Bristol winger Jack Bates had what seemed a winning try disallowed in the dying stages.

The Bears looked to have snatched victory in the last minute when captain Joe Joyce went on a fantastic run before putting Bates in the clear, but the pass to him went forward and Saracens held on, just.

London Irish 22-42 Northampton Saints

Northampton spoiled London Irish’s St Patrick’s Day party with a 42-22 win at Brentford Community Stadium.

Chris Boyd’s side kept their top-four hopes alive with a six-try showing that helped them leapfrog shell-shocked Irish in the league standings.

Irish had gone 8-0 up early on thanks to a try from Ollie Hassell-Collins and a penalty from Paddy Jackson.

But that was as good as it got for the home side in front of a big crowd as the Saints turned on the style.

Bath 24-24 Sale Sharks

World Cup-winning scrum-half Faf de Klerk was inches away from snatching victory for Sale as they drew 24-24 with Bath at the Recreation Ground.

The visitors had mounted a storming second-half comeback after trailing 21-7 at half-time to the Premiership’s bottom club and led 24-21 until Danny Cipriani kicked Bath level with three minutes to play.

De Klerk had the chance to win it in the 83rd minute but his kick was narrowly wide.

Wasps 27-24 Newcastle Falcons

Jimmy Gopperth scored a late penalty winner against his former club as Wasps edged past Newcastle with a 27-24 Gallagher Premiership win at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

George McGuigan notced a hat-trick for the visitors but it proved to be in vain as Gopperth’s boot, combined with tries from Dan Robson, Joe Launchbury and Tom West, saw the hosts over the line.

Despite slipping as he kicked, Gopperth’s effort sailed through the uprights to make it 27-24 to the home side, who were then able to run the clock down and seal an impressive comeback win.

Wasps remain ninth in the table, with Falcons – who take a losing bonus point back to the north east – sitting 12th.