The past weekend of URC and Gallagher Premiership action threw up a number of surprising results with the playoffs in sight.
URC R16: Glasgow remain top after classy showing at Loftus, Sharks beaten at home
Glasgow Warriors picked up two invaluable bonus points in their narrow 34-40 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday to remain top of the log. Despite second-placed Leinster’s 61-14 hammering of Ospreys in Dublin, Franco Smith’s charges will head into their penultimate clash with the Lions in Joburg at the summit, albeit by just a single point.
The 10th-placed Lions, eight points off the top eight, claimed a 34-13 home win over Cardiff, while the Stormers beat Dragons 44-21 at Rodney Parade and the Sharks went down to Benetton by a single point after Murray Koster’s late red card gave the Italian outfit the boost they needed to score with minutes left on the clock.
Elsewhere, hosts Edinburgh breezed past Zebre 40-14, Ulster won 31-20 at Scarlets and Munster made light work of Connacht 47-12 at Thomond Park.
The Butcher cutting the Warriors to shreds. 🪓#URC pic.twitter.com/sk9sDZSNJO
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) May 11, 2024
Gallagher Prem R18: Sale go fourth as log positions keep changing
Sale Sharks end the weekend in fourth after their 31-22 win over Leicester Tigers at the AJ Bell on Friday with just one more round robin matchday remaining. Bristol Bears fell from that position to seventh following their 20-41 defeat to second-placed Saracens at Ashton Gate, while Harlequins (sixth) were beaten 26-58 by Exeter Chiefs (fifth) at Sandy Park. Third-placed Bath won 28-17 at Newcastle.
Meanwhile, at Franklin’s Gardens, leaders Northampton scored 14 tries in a 90-0 annihilation of a much-changed Gloucester lineup. The Challenge Cup finalists had made a number of changes to their side for the encounter and were duly embarrassed with Saints breaking the competition’s home points tally record.
Our latest masterpiece 😮💨
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) May 12, 2024
From one try-line to the other, started and finished by @TomMRJames. pic.twitter.com/D70iv8JGEG
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