Gallagher Premiership: Saracens thump Harlequins for fourth victory in a row; Leicester beat Northampton for first home win | Rugby Union News

Saracens hit by injuries but then run in six tries to thump Harlequins 38-10; defending Gallagher Premiership champions move above Quins in the table; Leicester beat Northampton 26-17 for second win of the season and first at home

Alex Lewington was one of the six try scorers as Saracens thumped Harlequins 38-10

Saracens dealt with the early loss of three key players to make it four wins in a row as they rain in six tries during a thumping 38-10 victory over Harlequins.

Sarries lost Ben Earl (knee) and Elliot Daly (hamstring) in the warm-up at The Stoop before Alex Lozowski was forced off seconds into the contest after twisting awkwardly when chasing down Marcus Smith.

However, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Olly Hartley, Jamie George, Andy Christie, Tom Parton and Alex Lewington all touched down as the defending champions maintained their winning run and rose to third in the table and above their opponents on points difference.

Andre Esterhuizen scored Quins’ sole try as they saw their four-match winning streak ended and the margin of defeat would have been even greater had Tom Willis not squandered the chance of a seventh Sarries try late on.

Leicester Tigers recorded just their second victory of the season – and first at home – with a 26-17 triumph over Northampton Saints at Welford Road.

South African World Cup winner Handre Pollard scored 16 points for the Tigers, who had lost four of their opening five matches and only beaten Bath, as they snapped Northampton’s four-match winning streak.

Handre Pollard kicked 16 points in Leicester’s win over Northampton

Second-half tries from Francois van Wyk (57) and Hanro Liebenberg (73) added to Leicester’s 9-3 half-time lead with Saints reduced to 13 men after the break when Sam Matavesi and Ethan Waller were sin-binned.

Northampton were also left to rue a potentially costly refereeing decision when, at 19-10 down, Karl Dickson blew his whistle for what he felt was a knock-on from Henry Pollock before Tommy Freeman touched down.

Replays appeared to show that the try could have stood.

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South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winners Pollard and Jasper Wiese reflect on their victory in Paris and what it means to the fans in their country

George Furbank scored a 60th-minute try to give Northampton hope but when Liebenberg went over 13 minutes later Leicester were back in command and Matavesi’s late try was nothing but a consolation.

Leicester are now eighth in the standings on 10 points, with Northampton fifth on 16 points.