Premiership (R5) – Northampton turn Gloucester round, Mitchell a worry

The Premiership breaks until December after a round 5 worth 273 points.

Four clubs on 16 points behind Leicester: round 5 tightened the chase before the international break. Saracens and Harlequins produced Saturday’s two comebacks, Bath got back on track and Northampton beat Gloucester at the cost of another injury to their scrum-half.

Northampton win, Mitchell goes off

Gloucester led 14-0 through Max Llewellyn and Will Joseph when Alex Mitchell left the field after 21 minutes. The Guardian points to another possible hamstring injury, which would be the England scrum-half’s fourth of the year, ahead of the Australia Test. His exit did not stop Saints: Tom Pearson and Curtis Langdon levelled from mauls before the break, and George Hendy and replacement Rory Hutchinson finished the job. Northampton move up to 3rd.

Saracens, five tries after the break

Newcastle led 17-7 at half-time in London before unravelling: Sam Graham and Alex Hearle were both sin-binned and Saracens took advantage. On at the interval, Noah Caluori scored and lifted his side, who ran in five second-half tries. Ollie Leatherbarrow and Hearle secured a try bonus for the visitors, who finish bottom. Theo Dan, who failed a head injury assessment, is another concern for England.

Harlequins confirm at Sandy Park

The Londoners scored five tries, two of them by Lucas Schmid, for a second straight win. Exeter, beaten finalists last season, had led 21-14 early in the second half. Olly Woodburn’s late try earned two bonus points, but the Chiefs stay 9th.

Bath find their attack again

Eight days after their defeat at Gloucester, Bath scored five tries against Sale, two of them by Joe Cokanasiga. Finn Russell got the better of George Ford, despite the Sharks fly-half’s four successful conversions; Sale are 8th.

The table after round 5