Hougaard the hero as Sarries maintain 100 per cent start
HIGH-FLYING Saracens climbed back to the top of the Premiership table after maintaining their impressive 100 per cent start with a 22-15 victory over Newcastle at Kingston Park.
Tries from Richard Haughton, Derick Hougaard and Chris Wyles earned the Sarries a fifth consecutive league win and ensured Brendan Venter’s side went into the European break at the Premiership summit.
Winger Haughton gave the visitors the perfect start with an interception try but five penalties from Jimmy Gopperth handed winless Falcons a 15-10 lead.
But the Sarries found another gear with fly-half Hougaard touching down just before half-time to take his points tally to 12, before winger Wyles crossed the line late on to wrap up victory.
Wasps, meanwhile, moved up to third in the table after surviving a brave Northampton fightback, eventually coming through 20-15.
The home side were dominant in the first half, surging into a 17-0 lead thanks to four penalties from Dave Walder and a try from stand-in full-back Danny Cipriani. Walder added a drop goal but the Saints hit back through four penalties from Shane Geraghty and one from Bruce Reihana.
The match was marred by a horrific injury to Wasps substitute Lachlan Mitchell, who was taken to hospital in a neck brace but later discharged.
Elsewhere, England centre Mike Tindall scored one try and created another as Gloucester ended a run of three successive defeats to record a 26-10 victory over bottom club Leeds.