Hodgson’s latest landmark unlikely to be bettered
All hail Charlie Hodgson and his 2,500 Premiership points. It is one of those records that looks unbreakable. The top 10 features only two others still active – Nick Evans and Stephen Myler. And they are more than a thousand points behind. Andy Goode, who was forced into retirement over the summer, is the next closest on 2,228 before a massive drop to Olly Barkley on 1,605. Jonny Wilkinson is at No4 on a piffling 1,489. Owen Farrell and George Ford (767 and 672) are two to watch, of course, but both need to up their rate – or continue their careers beyond the 16 seasons Hodgson will have racked up – if they want to catch him. But what marks out Hodgson still further is that the points-scoring is only part of the package. First and foremost, he has been a divine playmaker, the best passer of a ball in English rugby. His international career was not as stellar as it looked as if it might be when he first lit up the scene in the early noughties. Wilkinson’s shadow in 2003 proved too much and Twickenham Man too ignorant. The two serious knee injuries that put him out of the World Cups of 2003 and 2007 did not help either. How many points would he have but for those? But in English club rugby he has surely been the greatest. Michael Aylwin
• Saracens’ Hodgson pulls the strings in demolition of Worcester
Haywood’s form at hooker means Hartley may have to wait
Dylan Hartley is expected to return from a concussion lay-off this week before Northampton’s weekend visit to Bath but the England hooker will not be an automatic selection, as in the past, because of the form shown by Mike Haywood, the man of the match in the forward demolition of Gloucester, in his absence. A young Saints’ front row – Alex Waller and Kieran Brookes were the props – destroyed a Gloucester scrum containing the experienced John Afoa and Richard Hibbard to such an extent that it was a considerable surprise that it took the referee, Greg Garner, until the final minute to reach for his yellow card after yet another infringement at the set piece by the visitors. Northampton have produced their best form of the season in the last three matches, Haywood starting each time, having established the supremacy at forward their game in recent years has been based on. Hartley’s prowess, and importance to England based on the set pieces in the World Cup, means he will not have long to wait but Haywood has shown in the last two seasons that he merits a starting place. He has given Jim Mallinder and Dorian West something to think hard about before the trip to Bath, who have also been impressive up front in recent weeks. Paul Rees
• Northampton use Myler’s kicking prowess to crush Gloucester
• North ends speculation by agreeing new contract at Northampton
Robust Chiefs can expect some festive cheer this season
The last time Exeter lost at home was at the start of the year when they went down 26-25 to Gloucester despite being on top for long periods. It was the same scoreline on Saturday but this time in their favour – even though Harlequins were on the front foot for long enough to have won and were awarded a penalty three minutes from the end. The Chiefs hung on, showing both resilience and the means to sort out problems: the introduction of Tom Johnson for Don Armand at half-time helped turn the back-row battle in the home side’s favour. Exeter go into the final month of the year in second place behind Saracens, aware that the festive period does not usually provide them with festive cheer: they lost four league games in a row during the period last season, a slump that ultimately cost them a place in the top four, but they look better equipped this time, able to bring on Johnson and Geoff Parling from the bench. It is Exeter’s sixth season in the Premiership and they are succeeding while paying their way, announcing a profit last week. The men in the black are chasing the men in black, Saracens, and have the same capacity for leaving nothing on the field. And they had to give their all against Harlequins, who are looking an all-round team again. PR
• Exeter’s Steenson keeps his side in second as they hold off Harlequins
Strength in depth allows Wasps to prosper on multiple fronts
Dai Young has never been shy of extolling the virtues of his English talent and he certainly has plenty of it at his disposal – Christian Wade may be out for up to three months and Joe Launchbury nursing a hamstring strain but still there are Elliot Daly, Joe Simpson, James Gaskell, Jake Cooper-Woolley and Matt Mullan, who enjoyed his tussle with the World Cup winning tighthead Ben Franks at Twickenham, at his disposal. That is not to mention Nathan Hughes who becomes eligible after England’s summer tour to Australia. But after the victory over Irish, that perhaps inevitably failed to reach the heights of Wasps’ recent European heroics, Young preferred to focus on the collective. A bonus point win, when his side were not at their best will give the Welshman just as much satisfaction as beating Toulon. As he pointed out, in recent years Wasps have too often followed up sublime performances with shocking ones but while the aforementioned English players and the New Zealand pair Frank Halai and Charles Piutau dominate attention it is the strength in depth that Young has slowly restored which is proving pivotal. At Twickenham on Saturday Young was able to introduce Lorenzo Cittadini, Bradley Davies, Dan Robson and Brendan Macken off the bench. They are not household names but they are players Young knows will not let him down. Gerard Meagher
• Wasps on front foot as Frank Halai tries leave London Irish struggling
Cipriani’s missed kicks leave Diamond unimpressed
Steve Diamond made it pretty clear what he thought of England’s treatment of Danny Cipriani over the summer, having repeatedly claimed that the Sale fly-half was worthy of his place in the World Cup squad. Diamond takes huge credit for enabling Cipriani to mature and develop the consistency at Sale that at least put him back in the international reckoning – but after a narrow defeat by Harlequins, when Cipriani missed a late drop-goal, and a home draw with Newcastle, when the fly-half missed a late penalty, the Sharks director of rugby made it pretty clear he felt both kicks should have been converted. He was not directly blaming Cipriani, more venting frustration that his side could not take their opportunities, but Diamond is shrewd enough to know that will be construed as a reminder for his fly-half, upon whose form he relies so much. Eddie Jones takes charge as England’s head coach on Tuesday and has said that the door is open for Cipriani but his Sale form must come first. GM
Leicester’s strength is in defence; Bath hope for a dry run
Six tries in five matches – the last two of them an interception and a one-metre belly flop by a surprised Dan Cole – is hardly a rich haul but Leicester are third in the Premiership table nonetheless. Even London Irish, bottom of the table without a win, have been more prolific. Defensively, though, they take some breaking down and a resolute second-half display will further encourage the Tigers to believe they are on the rise. Bath, meanwhile, lie eighth and face another dog-fight against Northampton this weekend, followed by two do-or-die European pool games against Wasps. When they click they are great to watch but it is not happening on a weekly basis and they are missing the injured Jonathan Joseph. At the weekend they could have done with someone like Carl Fearns in the forward trenches. But Fearns left the club in the summer, crowded out by Sam Burgess’s switch to the back row, and Scotland’s Dave Denton is still finding his feet. Bath’s quicksilver backs will also be hoping the recent grim weather improves soon. Robert Kitson
• England’s Jones can forget central contracts, warns Cockerill
• Cole scores rare try as Leicester battle past Bath to go third
