Match Report: Northampton Saints 38 – 29 Saracens

Northampton Saints secured a vital five-point Gallagher Premiership win over Saracens at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens to keep their play-off hopes alive.

The hosts led 19-10 at the break courtesy of tries from Alex Moon, Lewis Ludlam and Tommy Freeman, but with Duncan Taylor red-carded for a high hit on Fin Smith, they knew they needed to be far more clinical in the second 40 minutes.

The bonus point was secured thanks to a Rory Hutchinson score immediately after the restart, and Smith and Fraser Dingwall extended Saints’ advantage further before a late fightback from Saracens saw them pick up a try bonus point in defeat.

The men in Black, Green and Gold now travel to Newcastle Falcons on Friday evening needing another big win in the race for the semi-finals – but can reflect on a stunning season on home soil in the league, having picked up 44 Premiership points from a possible 50 playing in Northampton.

FIRST HALF

Saints came out carrying hard, with man-of-the-match David Ribbans and Juarno Augustus fighting through traffic, but Alex Mitchell’s grubber to the corner just dribbled in goal and the sides came back for a scrum.

The first meaningful attack from Saracens came off the back of a scrum penalty, and led to a try; Alex Lewington’s crossfield-kick was collected by Rotimi Segun, who finished well in the corner to hold off the last defender and dot down.

Manu Vunipola’s touchline conversion was good, and while Saints thought they had immediately responded when Ribbans crashed over from short range after carries from James Ramm and Augustus, the lock had knocked on as he crossed the line and the TMO ruled out the try.

Northampton’s chances were boosted in the ninth minute when Saracens centre Taylor saw red for a head-on-head collision with Smith. The hosts looked to capitalise straight away, but Sam Matavesi knocked on out wide with space opening up and another chance went begging.

The visitors made them pay in the 15th minute as Saints were penalised for not rolling, and Vunipola knocked over three points from the tee to make it 10-0.

Finally Northampton responded when a deliberate knock-on in midfield handed them a penalty, which was kicked to the corner. After some hard carries from Augustus and Trevor Davison, Moon was there on Mitchell’s shoulder to finish off a well-worked score.

Smith’s conversion drifted wide, but a few moments later Saints had the lead courtesy of another try.

Ramm’s huge carry around the outside started off the move, and after the hosts got quick ball, Courtney Lawes’ pass out the back created the space for Matavesi to offload to Ludlam who dived over the whitewash – and this time Northampton’s fly-half Smith nailed his conversion.

Saints were in the ascendancy now, but it took 14 minutes for them to score again, as a scrum penalty four minutes from half-time allowed them to kick to the corner again.

After an initial drive, Saints spread the ball wide via some good work from Ramm, and Freeman was able to use his pace to beat Ruben de Haas into the corner, with Smith landing a second conversion from out wide to make it 19-10 at the break.

SECOND HALF

The hosts made a blistering start to the second half, breaking from a scrum in their own 22 as George Furbank and Ramm exploited the space available, before Dingwall offloaded inside for Hutchinson to score under the posts.

Patience then paid off for Saints after a sustained period of pressure on the five-metre line, as Mitchell eventually was able to pop the ball over the top for Smith to score his first try for the Club in the corner.

At 31-10, Northampton were in control of the match, but Saracens started to turn up the pressure and Matavesi made a try-saving tackle in the corner on Olly Hartley after a Ben Earl turnover inside the hosts’ half.

But Sarries did hit back after an inch-perfect chip over the top from Vunipola found Josh Hallett, and the fly-half then got back on Hallett’s shoulder to score under the posts.

Segun saw yellow after hitting Furbank in the air on the hour mark, and it took just four minutes more for Saints to take advantage as Dingwall wriggled through a tackle to score just to the left of the posts – extending the hosts’ advantage once again.

Theo Dan went over though for Saracens after some sleight of hand from Alex Goode released Ben Harris to make it 38-24, and the game was still not won.

Freeman released replacement Tom Cruse ten minutes from full time, but the hooker was unlucky to be held up over the line by former Saint, Nick Isiekwe.

Saints managed the game well in the closing stages, meaning that by the time Saracens had crossed again through Segun, the clock was in the red and the score was no more than a consolation.

Phil Dowson’s side now must turn their attention quickly to another must-win game away at Newcastle Falcons on Friday evening, before they return to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens for the final time this season to welcome Leicester Tigers for what they hope will be a vital warm-up fixture for the semi-finals.

LINE-UPS

SAINTS: Furbank, Ramm, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman, F Smith, Mitchell; A Waller, Matavesi, Davison, Ribbans, Moon, Lawes, Ludlam (c), Augustus
Replacements: Cruse, E Waller, Hill, Coles, Salakaia-Loto, Graham, James, Collins

SARACENS: Goode (cc), Segun, Taylor, Hartley, Lewington, M Vunipola, de Haas; Mawi, Woolstencroft, Judge, Hunter-Hill, Tizard, Isiekwe, Knight, Wray (cc)
Replacements: Dan, Hislop, Riccioni, Michelow, Earl, van Zyl, Hallett, Harris