Gallagher Premiership: Saracens rout Bath; London Irish and Gloucester draw

Saracens' Max Malins ran in a hat-trick of tries against Bath

We round-up Sunday’s action in the Gallagher Premiership as Saracens scored a resounding win away to Bath, while it was honours even between London Irish and Gloucester…

Bath 17-71 Saracens

England star Maro Itoje made a try-scoring return to the Gallagher Premiership as rampant Saracens humiliated rock-bottom Bath with a crushing victory at the Recreation Ground.

The British and Irish Lions lock had not played a Premiership game since Saracens drew with Bath 12 months ago in their final top-flight fixture before the club's salary cap breaches meant relegation to the Championship.

After completing his rest period following the Lions' South Africa tour, Itoje showed impressive form in front of England head coach Eddie Jones - although his afternoon ended early in the second half after he took a blow to his left shoulder.

His early exit appeared precautionary as Saracens consigned outclassed Bath to a fourth successive league defeat and worst Premiership start since 2001. Jones is certain to want early updates on Itoje and Bath wing Anthony Watson, who went off with what appeared to be a knee issue.

Saracens, though, made it three wins out of four, racking up a remarkable 45 points in the first half through hooker Jamie George's try double, another two from wing Max Malins and one each by Itoje and flanker Ben Earl.

Substitute prop Eroni Mawi added a seventh Saracens try, Malins completed his hat-trick and Rotimi Segun and Dom Morris also scored, while skipper Owen Farrell booted eight conversions and a penalty for a 19-point haul and Alex Goode kicked a late conversion.

Maro Itoje bursts through to score the first try against Bath

Full-back Tom de Glanville, back-row forward Tom Ellis and wing Will Muir claimed Bath consolation scores, and Danny Cipriani added one conversion, but it was a horrible afternoon for the West Country club as they conceded the most points they ever have in a Premiership game.

London Irish 25-25 Gloucester

London Irish missed a golden opportunity to pick up their first victory of the season as they dominated Gloucester for most of the match but the visitors dug in to come away with an undeserved draw.

Irish had not managed a win in their opening four matches but their first-half efforts should have ensured they were out of sight at the interval. As it was they were only eight points ahead and the visitors were able to stage a comeback.

Gloucester scored three tries in less than 15 minutes. Ben Morgan scored two of them and Louis Rees-Zammit the other, with Adam Hastings kicking two penalties and two conversions.

Gloucester's Ruan Ackermann takes the ball into contact against London Irish

Agustin Creevy, Isaac Curtis-Harris and Matt Rogerson scored tries for Irish, with Paddy Jackson adding two conversions and two penalties.

Both sides had men sent to the sin-bin, with Gloucester's Mark Atkinson being shown a yellow card for killing the ball and the Exiles' Steve Mafi being sent for 10 minutes on the sidelines after dragging down a maul.

Gloucester are also awaiting news on the extent of Harry Elrington's injury after the prop was forced to leave the field in the second half.