Reigning English and European champions Saracens won 29-18 at home to Sale on Saturday but slipped to third after Exeter beat Newcastle with a bonus point success.

Wasps, who play Gloucester on Sunday, remain top.

Finishing first in the regular season carries no significant prize as the title is decided by the top four sides contesting two play-off semi-finals, with the winners going on to the Premiership final at Twickenham.

But after seeing London side Saracens score tries through full back Duncan Taylor, former England wing Chris Ashton and wing Nathan Earle, plus fly-half Alex Lozowski kicking 14 points, McCall said: "If you finish top, it's a feather in the cap for the squad.

"There is definitely something to celebrate when you finish top. It means you have been the most consistent team over 22 games."

The former Ireland international added: "Hopefully we will be there or thereabouts at the end. The barometer of how things are is how you defend and I thought we did that magnificently today.

"Brad Barritt was at the forefront of things and that set the tone for the match," added McCall after Saracens, who have been without several key players because of England's Six Nations campaign, enjoyed a first win in four league games after a draw with Exeter was followed by defeats against both Worcester and Gloucester.

Saturday's match at Allianz Park was Sale's first since their director of rugby Steve Diamond was hit with a six-game touchline ban, three suspended until the end of next season.

'Out-gunned'

Diamond could still oversee matters from the coaches' box in the stand where he witnessed tries from Sale's Magnus Lund and replacement hooker Cameron Nield, with Will Addison and AJ McGinty kicking the rest of the visitors' points.

"We were out-gunned and out-streetwised by Saracens," said Diamond. "As you know, coming to this place, if you give them opportunities, they will take them.

"But in the second-half, we did really well. There were a couple of errors and a couple of decisions didn't go our way but that's the way it goes."

Exeter defeated Newcastle 36-14, scoring four tries with James Short collecting a double and Harry Williams and Sam Skinner scoring one apiece.

But what pleased assistant coach Ali Hepher most was Exeter's second-half defence.

"We were hesitant in that first half particularly when we had ball in hand as we needed to run hard instead of trying the clever ball," he said.

"There was plenty to address at half-time but our defence was outstanding in that second half and to earn a bonus point was invaluable."

Newcastle were the dominant side early on thanks to converted tries from Vereniki Goneva and Rob Vickers.

"I'm disappointed as we started really well but we weren't accurate enough and this allowed them back into the game," said Newcastle boss Dean Richards.

Saturday's other match saw Northampton defeat Worcester 24-14 in a match where Saints hooker Mike Haywood scored two tries.

"We've gone back into the top six, which is a good place to be, and we've got two massive games ahead of us (against Sale and Leicester)," said Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder.