Dean Richards has defended former Springboks centre De Wet Barry following his horror tackle on England star Mathew Tait that could sideline him for Harlequins' Guinness Premiership title push.

Barry's reckless lunge resulted in a red card from referee Martin Fox - and left Tait requiring extensive treatment, including use of an oxygen mask, before climbing gingerly to his feet.

Barry will now face a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing and possible ban, just as third-placed Quins begin preparations for the closing stages of their league campaign.

But rugby director Richards said: "De Wet has apologised to Mathew and he has apologised to me.

"He has an unfair reputation as a dirty player and he doesn't deserve it."

Despite the loss of Barry, Quins defeated struggling Newcastle 15-9 at the Twickenham Stoop thanks to four Adrian Jarvis penalties and a Danny Care drop-goal.

They were the only side among the top four to win this weekend as a sixth victory in seven games left them just two points behind leaders Gloucester.

And another assured display by the uncapped Care unquestionably enhanced his prospects of making England's tour to New Zealand in June.

Richards added: "If three scrum-halves go on tour to New Zealand this summer, then Danny Care should be one of them.

"What the management have to consider is when is the best time in a player's development to cap them in New Zealand - it's a heck of a place to win your first cap."

Newcastle are now only three points above 11th-placed Worcester after the Warriors produced a stunning late show to beat Gloucester 17-14 at Sixways.

It was Worcester's fourth Premiership game without defeat - a club record - and a first win in all competitions against Gloucester at the 10th attempt.

They also accomplished it despite seeing their ex-Gloucester wing Marcel Garvey carried off and taken to hospital for scans following an abortive tackle on Lesley Vainikolo.

Another Gloucester old boy, South African Thinus Delport, scored the winning try with less than a minute remaining on the countdown clock, while Garvey later rejoined his team-mates after making a promising recovery.

And Delport's unrestrained celebrations could provide a fitting memory for Worcester fans as he prepares to join Japanese club Kubota Spears this summer, along with current Warriors colleagues Shane Drahm and Drew Hickey.

Delport said: "It is an awesome result for us. I had dreamt of that moment a couple of times - it's a great feeling.

"It is good to get one over on on our big brother from down the motorway."

Worcester added Gloucester to the scalps of Sale Sharks and Leicester collected earlier this month, while they also drew with Leeds Carnegie, and head coach Clive Griffiths added: "We set out this week to create a bit of history.

"That was our theme, and thank goodness we got over the line in the last seconds to achieve that.

"We just needed that half a chance at the end. This league is so tight, and if you hang in there and defend well like we did in the second half, you can win.

"I am sure Thinus enjoyed that against his old club. He has been outstanding for us - a tremendous professional - and he has been a pleasure to work with."

Early tries by centre Sam Tuitupou and Miles Benjamin eased Worcester into a 12-0 lead before Gloucester hit back through touchdowns from Vainikolo and scrum-half Rory Lawson, plus two Ryan Lamb conversions, for a narrow advantage they held until the closing seconds.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan admitted: "We had every opportunity to have managed the game, but we just didn't do it.

"We left the opportunity out there for Worcester to mug us."

Wasps continued their play-off bid by recording a first league victory in 18 attempts at Welford Road, defeating Leicester 24-19 to avenge last weekend's EDF Energy Cup semi-final defeat.

Two Fraser Waters tries and a Danny Cipriani touchdown mean Wasps are now seven points behind fourth-placed Leicester with two games in hand.

Wasps rugby director Ian McGeechan said: "You don't often dominate a Leicester pack, and we knew that we needed to do it. We did it well, and the other parts of our game were also right.

"It is getting tighter and tighter, and there will be a few more twists and turns before the end of the season.

"We have got to keep winning, but if we keep playing like that, we will give ourselves a chance."

Tigers boss Marcelo Loffreda added: "We lacked intensity and physicality at the breakdown, and we didn't compete in the set-piece as well as we did in Cardiff last Saturday.

"We have to make sure that we finish the season as the most consistent of the teams around us because it is very close."

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