Harlequins 60-14 Worcester

Dean Richards had a cheeky dig back at London Wasps after his Harlequins side powered to the top of the Guinness Premiership. Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards had insisted that his reigning league champions remain the top team in London, even though they are languishing in 10th place.

But after thumping Worcester, director of rugby Richards replied: "I am sure Wasps are delighted to be Wycombe's No1 team. Unlike Wasps, we do reside in London."

Quins ran in 10 tries at the Twickenham Stoop to leapfrog Bath and Leicester by virtue of points difference.

However, with just two points separating the top five, Richards claimed he "couldn't give a monkey's" about leading now and is acutely aware his club could still miss out on the play-off spots thanks to a tough three-match run-in. He said: "Being top is irrelevant when we have three tough games to go. If we are in the top four at the end of the season then I will be happy. We have still got to go away to Sale, Bath are Heineken Cup quarter-finalists and Newcastle are not the pushovers they were six months ago.

"There is a real ambition to achieve something this year. The side has matured a long way, but if you are saying first is great, it is not. You achieve nothing with three games to go."

Although Quins were top for a week in September this is the first time they have led the Premiership so late in the competition and Nick Easter believes the success is down to the club's demotion four years ago.

The England No8 said: "Getting relegated was the best thing that could have happened to the club because it meant the management and coaches could start from scratch, build up a new squad and produce a style of rugby that we all enjoy."

Easter scored his first try of the season for Quins last night and then amazingly completed a hat-trick within 12 minutes.

"I have been suffering with a virus since England's win over Scotland and still have a sore throat, but I feel great after this win and the hat-trick," he said. "It was about time I got on the scoresheet for the club. We know there are still huge league games to come and we haven't won anything yet. There is also the Heineken Cup quarter-final with Leinster on 12 April and this win has allowed us to put a marker down."

Easter's display boosted his chances of being chosen for the Lions tour of South Africa this summer. The squad is announced on 21 April and Easter knows that the Leinster game will be a final trial and put him up against fellow No8 Jamie Heaslip, a key member of Ireland's Grand Slam-winning side.

"The Six Nations has been a big factor in choosing the Lions squad," said Easter. "But I am sure the selectors will be looking at the European games and the crunch Premiership matches and it's a big chance to make an impression."

Quins could have scored even more points against a Worcester side struggling to put out their best XV, one that was twice reduced to 14 men as the referee lost patience with their sloppy work around the break down.

At times, Quins played at a tempo very few teams in Europe could have lived with and Danny Care, their England scrum-half, scored a solo try with an unstoppable 40 metre sprint.

Flanker Chris Robshaw was the man-of-the-match with yet another impressive performance of no-nonsense forward play that is certain to earn him a place in England's squad for the two summer Tests with Argentina.