Premiership: Leicester, Gloucester, Saracens all win big

Recap Saturday's Gallagher Premiership action as Leicester crushed Bristol with Chris Ashton breaking a record, Gloucester mauled Bath, and Saracens were too strong for Worcester... Leicester Tigers 56-26 Bristol Bears

Chris Ashton ran in a hat-trick to become the Gallagher Premiership's record try scorer as leaders Leicester handsomely beat Bristol 56-26 at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

The former England winger surpassed Tom Varndell as the top flight's most prolific marksman and all three of his scores came inside the first 27 minutes to set up what was a mauling.

Leicester scored eight tries in total on what was a comfortable afternoon where they secured a home semi-final in the play-offs, ahead of next week's mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster.

Just before kick-off, there was a standing ovation for former England hooker Tom Youngs, who had announced his retirement earlier in the week, when he was presented on the pitch.

Gloucester romped to their biggest Premiership victory with a 64-0 demolition of hapless rivals Bath to move within a point of the play-off positions and arrest a mini slump.

The performance of Sam Underhill was perhaps the only positive for Bath, whose final match of the season at Worcester will probably determine who suffers the indignity of finishing at the bottom of the table.

Gloucester had secured the try bonus point they needed before half-time. Well though they played, they faced opponents who were passive in defence, shovelled slow ball predictably, struggled in the line-out and showed why they are the most undisciplined team in the Premiership.

They lost two players to the sin bin in the first 20 minutes. Prop Valeriy Morozov was penalised for a high tackle