Daily Times

Bath overwhelmed Newcastle 40-15 to remain top of the English Premiership table on points difference on Saturday as Bristol stayed hot on their heels with eight tries during a record-breaking win against Leicester.

Newcastle, second bottom in the 10-team table, led 12-7 early on at Kingston Park, thanks mainly to a Jamie Blamire try and a converted score from Freddie Lockwood either side of Bath’s Alfie Barbeary touching down. But tries from Tom de Glanville and Will Stuart gave the visitors a six-point advantage at the interval and before Bath surged clear in the second half.

Charlie Ewels added Bath’s fourth try before Scotland playmaker Finn Russell — who also kicked five conversions — and England back-row forward Sam Underhill went over in the final 15 minutes to earn their side a seventh league win of the season. Bristol were briefly on top following a 54-24 win over Leicester earlier on Saturday but Bath boss Johann van Graan was pleased by his side’s response. “With Bristol at the top, we said we’ll go for the win first, which we did and that takes us back to the top,” said Van Graan, looking to gone one better after Bath were beaten by Northampton in last season’s Premiership final.