EXETER CHIEFS CLIMBED to the top of the Premiership table with a 31-17 victory over Harlequins at Sandy Park on Sunday.

Defeat for Saracens at Gloucester on Friday left the door open for the defending champions and the Chiefs moved clear in the second half to shake off a determined Quins side.

James Chisholm and Tim Visser cancelled out tries from Lachlan Turner and Olly Woodburn respectively in a tight opening period, before Marcus Smith kicked the visitors into a three-point half-time lead.

But Quins, who had two tries ruled out by the TMO over the course of the match, could not find a response to Jonny Hill’s touchdown early in the second half and the lock crossed for his second to seal victory with 10 minutes remaining.

The bonus point win sends Exeter two points clear of Saracens at the summit, while Quins remain seventh.

Elsewhere, Leicester Tigers and Bath moved ahead of Gloucester into third and fourth respectively with wins against Sale Sharks and London Irish.

Leicester trailed Sale by two points at the interval before going on to claim a 35-27 victory, while Bath subjected basement club Irish to a seventh consecutive league defeat in a 22-18 triumph.

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