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 Hillโs 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.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the yearโs best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Easonโs, or order it here today (โฌ10):
Mcilroy a disaster so far.
@Martin McKenna: canโt play in the afternoon
@Barry Newell: two experts ainโt ye?
Is there any site I can watch it on me phone free.
Rory mcelroy an abs embarrassment .Not one birdie for the over rated one.
@Michael cunnane: out again in afternoon, christ almighty, no birdie and gets out again.
@Martin McKenna and @michael cunnane: neither of you have a clue about golf.
@Ardmore02: i concur
The Ryder Cup has always been a Tournament That has held the interest of golf Fans of Europe much more than your average American Fan.Americans have had only a fleeting interest :We donโt hold the RYDER in Reverence like TheMASTERS,BRITISH OPEN,US OPEN โ MAJORS.The Great European Golfers,We See All the time,Many are based here,viewed not as Foreigners but as great individual athletes,place of origin is inconsequential.Itโs not a Team Sport,but thatโs changing here to aโMust SeeโEvent.This year Ratings are through The Roof & itโs all because of the presence of the revered TIGER WOODSโ resurgence back into the Upper Echelon Of Golf ,not for any Patriotism for AMERICA but as an opportunity to again see him compete with the Best