Match Report: Coventry Rugby 10 – 19 Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints kept their unbeaten record in this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup intact, scoring three tries to defeat Coventry Rugby 19-10 at a wet and windy Butts Park Arena. 

Northampton started the scoring in Round 3 as George Hendy scored a superb solo try, but the home team dominated possession in the opening 40 minutes and hit back to send Matt Kvesic over before the break. 

And though Coventry pushed ahead after the interval through Ryan Hutler, Saints stretched their legs in the game’s final quarter, and further tries from Emmanuel Iyogun and Curtis Langdon sealed a third consecutive win in the Cup. 

FIRST-HALF:

Coventry enjoyed the lion’s share of early possession as their defence proved disruptive at Saints’ breakdown, but it was Northampton who got themselves on the scoreboard first through a piece of magic from Hendy. 

The fullback collected the ball in his own 22 and bounced his way through Coventry’s line, before sprinting some 70 metres to score left of the posts. 

Coventry dominated possession again as the game drew closer to half-time, and while Saints kept them out for a time, eventually the home team’s pressure paid off.

Scrum-half Josh Barton took a free kick quickly for the home side, and after working their way into Saints’ 22 at pace, it was No. 8 Kvesic who stretched over from close range. 

A missed Tommy Mathews conversion kept Saints two points ahead, and the men in Black, Green and Gold had a good opportunity to score just two minutes from the break as Tom Pearson gave Saints front-foot ball. But a knock-on in the hounding rain as Northampton worked into Coventry’s 22 brought that attack to an end, and saw the sides enter the sheds with the scoreline 7-5 in Saints’ favour.

SECOND HALF:

A bouncing ball granted Coventry the first points of the second half; when Mathews hacked through in behind Saints, it was winger Hutley who got there first to score on the right.

Coventry went three points ahead as a result, but the lead swung back Saints’ way on the hour mark as a maul rumbled close, before Iyogun broke free and barrelled over with some help from Angus Scott-Young.

The wind knocking the ball off the tee didn’t knock Makepeace-Cubitt’s confidence on the conversion, and Saints found themselves 10-14 up as the game entered the final quarter. 

Saints’ maul got going again just five minutes later, with the forwards pushing close to the tryline before a rampaging Langdon broke free and dived over. 

Makepeace-Cubitt’s conversion went wide this time, and though Coventry tried to fight back to earn a losing bonus point in the game’s dying minutes, Saints’ defence held firm and the men in Black, Green and Gold secured a 19-10 victory to close out this block of Cup clashes. 

Saints return to Gallagher Premiership action next weekend at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens as they play host to Gloucester Rugby. 

LINE-UPS:

COVENTRY: 15 Robson; 14 Hutler, 13 Tiueti, 12 Hitchcock, 11 Opoku, 10 Mathews, 9 Barton; 1 Nairau, 2 Poole, 3 Johnson, 4 Nkwocha, 5 Nayalo; 6 Ball, 7 Hinkley, 8 Kvesic.
Replacements: 16 Ma’asi, 17 Warren, 18 Salt, 19 Anstey, 20 Tyas, 21 Lane, 22 Martin, 23 Owen

SAINTS: 15 Hendy, 14 Ramm, 13 Litchfield, 12 Hutchinson, 11 Seabrook, 10 Makepeace-Cubitt, 9 McParland; 1 Haffar, 2 Wright, 3 Green, 4 Lockett, 5 Munga (c), 6 Pearson, 7 Pollock, 8 Augustus.
Replacements: 16 C Langdon, 17 Iyogun, 18 Davison, 19 Thornbury, 20 Scott-Young, 21 James, 22 Savala, 23 Glister