PREM Rugby Cup: Round 7 Recap - Derby delight as Harlequins and Exeter Chiefs bag bragging rights

Leicester Tigers strengthened their grip on the top of Pool B with a hard-earned 28-19 victory over Newcastle at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, collecting a valuable bonus point in difficult conditions. The hosts made the perfect start as Josh Manz crossed inside the opening minute, but Newcastle showed resilience to hit back with first-half tries from Mike Rewcastle and Tom Cardell to briefly edge ahead.

Hanro Liebenberg’s score steadied Leicester before the break, restoring their advantage in a scrappy, weather-affected contest, in the week which marked the confirmed exit of Red Bulls coach Alan Dickens. After the restart, Tigers began to assert greater control. Will Wand’s try stretched the lead and, although Harrison Obatoyinbo kept Newcastle in touch with a well-taken score, Izaia Perese’s late effort sealed the outcome.

Leicester were clinical from the tee, with James O’Connor and Tom Whiteley maintaining a perfect kicking record. The win moves Tigers eight points clear at the summit of the pool, while Newcastle’s struggles continue as they remain adrift of the qualification places.

LEICESTER TIGERS: 28
TRIES: Manz, Liebenberg, Wand, Perese
CONVERSIONS: O’Connor 3, Whiteley

NEWCASTLE RED BULLS: 19
TRIES: Rewcastle, Cardell, H. Obatoyinbo
CONVERSIONS: Grayson 2

Exeter Chiefs moved to within a point of the top of Pool A with an entertaining 46-35 bonus-point win over Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate, surviving a spirited second-half fightback from the hosts. Chiefs laid the foundations early, dominating the collisions and building a 22-7 half-time lead, with Campbell Ridl impressing as he crossed twice in the opening period. Dan John and Max Norey also struck as Exeter’s pack provided front-foot ball and attacking momentum.

Bristol responded strongly after the break, injecting pace and ambition through Joe Owen, Max Pepper and Rich Lane to cut the deficit and turn the contest into a shootout. However, Exeter always found a response. Ridl completed his hat-trick, Norey added his second, and further tries from Paul Brown-Bampoe and Lewis Pearson proved decisive. Sam Worsley’s late score secured a losing bonus point for Bristol, but the Chiefs’ clinical edge ensured they left with maximum points ahead of a crucial clash with pool leaders Gloucester.

BRISTOL BEARS: 35
TRIES: Owen, Pepper, Lane, Gwilliam, Worsley
CONVERSIONS: Worsley

EXETER CHIEFS: 46
TRIES: Ridl 3, Norey 2, Brown-Bampoe, Pearson
CONVERSIONS: Haydon-Wood 3

Harlequins claimed a dramatic first Premiership Rugby Cup victory with a thrilling 43-40 win over Saracens at StoneX Stadium, producing a performance full of ambition, composure and late-game nerve. Saracens struck inside the opening minute through Brandon Jackson, but Quins responded impressively despite an early yellow card, Bryn Bradley’s converted try settling them. From there, the visitors took control, scoring four unanswered tries through Jack Musk, Harry Browne, Ludo Kolade and Josh Bellamy to surge into a commanding 33-14 half-time lead.

Saracens roared back after the break, with Tom Willis leading the charge from close range before setting up scores for Olly Hartley and Nick Tompkins as Louie Johnson’s boot edged the hosts in front. Momentum swung repeatedly in a frantic final quarter. Oisín McCormack and Seva Kava exchanged tries before Tom Lawday’s superb late finish in the corner sealed a memorable Quins win and breathed life into their Pool B campaign.

SARACENS: 40
TRIES: Jackson 2, Bracken, Willis, Hartley, Tompkins, Kava
CONVERSIONS: Johnson 5

HARLEQUINS: 43
TRIES: Bradley, Musk, Browne, Kolade, Bellamy, McCormack, Lawday
CONVERSIONS: Benson 4

Dan Frost scored a hat-trick of tries as Premiership Rugby Cup holders Bath produced a ruthless display to demolish Sale 60-19 and surge into the play-off places in Pool A. Bath’s pack set the tone from the outset and they were ahead inside the opening quarter when Arthur Green found a gap to open the scoring before Frost took charge, powering over twice from close range either side of a Tumy Onasanya response for the hosts.

Sale briefly threatened to stay in touch through Nathan Jibulu, but a costly error just before the interval saw Charlie Griffin intercept and race clear to send Bath into the break with a commanding advantage. Any hopes of a Sharks comeback were extinguished early in the second half. Jibulu crossed for his second, only for Frost to complete his hat-trick moments later as Bath reasserted their dominance.

The visitors ran riot in the final quarter, with Green adding his second, replacement flanker George Timmins grabbing a quickfire double and Jasper Spandler darting over from the back of a maul. Will Muir then teed up debutant Tyler Mason to take Bath past 50 points before Albert Bradshaw’s late score provided scant consolation. The emphatic bonus-point win lifts Bath above Sale into third place and keeps their hopes of defending the cup firmly alive.

Tries: Jibulu 2, Bradshaw
Cons: Curtis

Tries: Frost 3, Green 2, Timmins 2, Griffin, Spandler, Mason
Cons: Roue 5