Coles proud of scrum and defensive effort in win over Bath

Northampton forward Alex Coles tipped his cap to Saints’ set piece and defence as the men in Black, Green and Gold picked up a second win in as many Gallagher Premiership games.

It was 17-15 to the home side at half-time, and when George Hendy crossed the whitewash two minutes into the second half, it proved crucial as Bath could only muster a Ben Spencer penalty with Saints’ defence holding firm in the final phases of the game.

Time after time, Bath seemed certain to score, but the home side found an answer. And that determination to not concede was summed up when Sam Graham got the crucial turnover in the final moments of the game.

“All of our games so far this season in the Gallagher Premiership have gone down to the wire, so it’s good to end up on the right side of this one again,” said Coles. “It’s good for us to learn to stick in that battle and come out on the right side.

“Going into this season, everyone at the Club has been clear that defence is the big work-on from last year.

“In the first four games of the Premiership season, we have shown that our defence is really at it, and it needs to be when the conditions aren’t perfect and we have to stay in games and grind out victories. We will still see flashes of Saints’ attack, but we have to play smart as well.

“Bath are a really good side, with a strong forward pack, and they have added a bit more of an attacking dimension to their game in the backs as well recently. So, they were a really good challenge. 

“It was slightly different to the game that we played against them recently in the Premiership Rugby Cup where there were lots of points scored. So, I think the defence coaches will be happier. We knew it was going to be a challenge and that they were going to come for us up front. 

Throughout the second half, Saints won two scrum penalties against the head, including once when Bath were on the home side’s five-metre line.

Coles added: “Scrums can win or lose you the game as you have seen at international level, and you see it in the Premiership as well, especially when it gets wet and windy in the winter, so massive credit to our scrum.”

The towering lock bagged his eighth career Saints try in the 24-18 victory as he bids to kick on from a second half of last season that fell short of his own expectations.

“I have a point to prove and I am aware of that,” he said. “It motivates me, but at the same time, a bit of my doing last year was trying a bit hard, and putting too much pressure on myself.

“It’s trying to strike that balance of wanting to take that challenge head on and not putting so much pressure on myself that I’m going out of system or making silly mistakes.”

Up next for Saints is a clash against top-of-the-table Exeter Chiefs back at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday. 

“It’ll be a huge physical battle,” Coles said. “They haven’t really changed too much in how they pride themselves in that physical element of the game, and we have shown we can really take to teams in that area over these last four games. 

“They are kind of a new-look team from what we would have seen in the past few seasons, so we are excited for the challenge.”