English Premiership: England captain Martin Johnson was sin-binned on his landmark 300th appearance for Leicester on Saturday, but the Tigers overpowered Bristol 40-6 to move into third place in the English Premiership.

Johnson was ejected from the pitch in the 31st minute for a professional foul and faces a one-match ban for accumulating three yellows in 12 months. His brief absence, however, did little for Bristol's cause.

Ireland full back Geordan Murphy caught the eye with an outstanding display, including two converted first half tries.

Meanwhile, Warren Gatland's Wasps side stepped up their bid for an automatic place in next season's Europpean Cup with a four-try performance yesterday that secured a vital bonus point as they beat London Irish 35-11.

While victory moved Wasps level on points with third-placed Leicester and Leeds, London Irish are close to being dragged into the battle for survival at the other end of the table.

Boss Conor O'Shea admitted: "We were poor. We slipped far too many tackles. There are two leagues going on at the moment, one at the top and one where there is going to be one hell of a dogfight."

Runaway leaders Gloucester recorded their 13th win of the campaign, beating Bath 29-16 at Kingsholm on Saturday, with outhalf Ludovic Mercier kicking 19 points.

Bath are now bottom, courtesy of Newcastle's 17-12 win over Leeds.

Harlequins, in eighth place, suffered one of their heaviest league defeats in their history, smashed 45-0 at home by second-placed Sale Sharks, and Northampton ended a run of three successive league defeats by seeing off Franklin's Gardens visitors Saracens 34-25.