Henry Arundell scores four tries as Bath thrash bottom club Newcastle to tighten grip on second place in Gallagher Prem

Henry Arundell scored four tries as Bath tightened their grip on second place in the Gallagher Prem with a dominant 69-12 home victory over Newcastle.

By ending a run of three straight losses, Bath closed to within four points of leaders Northampton while pulling six points clear of third-placed Leicester ahead of the Tigers' clash with Sale on Sunday and crunch trip to the Recreation Ground.

England wing Arundell crossed twice as Bath were unstoppable in racing to a 31-0 lead with five tries before half-time and Santiago Carreras was among those who got in on the act with six more following the break.

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Newcastle finally managed to respond with a brace of tries from Alex Hearle but there was no real crumb of comfort the Red Bulls could take from another heavy defeat.

Harlequins overcome injury woes to secure battling win over Exeter

Harlequins defied their hefty injury list to stage a rousing fightback in a 41-24 victory at Allianz Stadium that endangers Exeter's play-off hopes.

Trailing 24-7 after just 35 minutes, Quins ran in 36 unanswered points and finished their annual 'Big Summer Kick-Off' in complete control with Boris Wenger's overtime try the final indignity for the Chiefs.

Captain Alex Dombrandt was at the forefront of the resurrection act, especially in the second half, and it was pulled off despite the club missing 21 players in the treatment room.

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter looked on in quiet fury as Wenger charged over as his side missed the opportunity to go third in the table with a defeat that leaves them vulnerable to being overtaken by play-off rivals Bristol and Saracens.