Gallagher Premiership weekend schedule - Friday: Bristol Bears 14-50 Exeter Chiefs; Saturday: Leicester Tigers 16-26 Sale Sharks, Bath 17-21 Gloucester; Sunday: Newcastle Falcons vs Saracens (3pm), Wasps vs Northampton (3pm); Worcester vs Harlequins (cancelled)
Saturday 8 October 2022 18:12, UK
Recap Saturday's Premiership action as Sale Sharks kept their winning start going after victory at champions Leicester, while Bath lost again in their derby vs Gloucester...
Half-time replacement Raffi Quirke inspired Sale to a memorable 26-16 victory at Premiership champions Leicester that maintained their perfect start to the league season.
With Saracens not in action until Sunday, the Sharks are now top of the table after making it four wins from four games by coming back from 16-5 down at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
It was a superb return from England scrum-half Quirke, who was playing in his first match for six months after a torn hamstring, but another shock to Leicester's system as they suffered a second straight loss.
The game was then turned on its head eight minutes into the second half when Quirke broke through down the right before timing his pass to put Sharks captain Tom Curry in the clear.
The Sharks had their bonus-point try in the 54th minute when Joe Carpenter made a break on the left wing before passing to Quirke, who had a comfortable run in.
Having made one try and scored another, Quirke then prevented one at the other end by scampering back to stop Matt Scott in his tracks inches from the try line after the ball ran loose.
Bath's search for their first win of the season continues after their forward-led fightback fell agonisingly short in a 21-17 Premiership defeat to Gloucester.
Trailing 14-0 and 21-7 at the Recreation Ground, Bath went on to dominate a compelling second half, but having crossed through Tom Dunn and Niall Annett, they could not finish off their west country rivals.
Two missed conversions from replacement fly-half Orlando Bailey ultimately proved the difference, with Adam Hastings nailing all three of his in a match that produced a try count of 3-3.
Ollie Lawrence made a strong debut following his loan move from relegated crisis club Worcester, providing some of the punch Bath have lacked from their carriers so far this season.
But despite perfect conditions for enterprising rugby, the afternoon was dominated by the two packs and all six tries were scored by forwards, although Lawrence, Joe Cokanasiga and Mark Atkinson shone in their attempts to make something happen.
