SARACENS LEAD CHASING PACK AND QUINS MAKE IT FIVE IN A ROW

ALEX Lozowski inspired Saracens to a 30-6 victory that cemented second place in the Gallagher Premiership as Northampton failed to capitalise on a dominant first-half.

Lozowski crossed in the 45th minute to land a decisive blow at Franklin’s Gardens and the former England centre also landed three penalties and three conversions, lifting his individual total to 20 points.

Until Lozowski’s injection of pace and sharp line propelled him over, Saints had pounded away at a resilient defence without reflecting their control on the scoreboard.

An interval scoreline of 6-6 was a poor return for all the time spent camped in the opposition 22 and sure enough it proved their undoing when Saracens found a new gear in the third quarter.

Late tries by Tom Woolstencroft and Maro Itoje distorted the result but Saints had appeared to run out of steam, their all-action style draining them of energy.

Champions Harlequins reeled off a fifth successive Gallagher Premiership victory over Gloucester after they fought back to win 20-17 at Kingsholm.

Quins trailed by 10 points midway through the second quarter, but they drew level by half-time before taking charge during the second period.

Centre Luke Northmore and scrum-half Danny Care scored tries – Care’s 65th-minute effort put Quins ahead for the first time.

Gloucester, chasing a fourth Premiership win on the bounce that would have underlined their play-off credentials, posted a first-half try through Ruan Ackermann.

But they could not get going in the second half, though Socino’s late score secured a losing bonus point.