Match Report: Northampton Saints 25 – 21 Bath Rugby

Northampton Saints' dreams came true as they ended a ten-year wait for a Gallagher Premiership title by defeating Bath in a gripping Twickenham Stadium final.

The league's top two teams produced a heavyweight tussle that went down to the wire but it was the men in Black, Green and Gold who triumphed with departing duo Lewis Ludlam and Courtney Lawes hoisting the silverware aloft. 

Finn Russell's early penalty was swiftly cancelled out by Fin Smith's dropgoal before Beno Obano saw red. Saints capitalised with tries from Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme but didn't pull away as Thomas du Toit crossed before the break.

Russell and Smith traded penalties in the second half, Will Muir's try drew the scores level and Bath moved ahead in the final 15 minutes when Russell struck another kick - only for Alex Mitchell to cross the line to decide the contest before a capacity crowd in the capital and send the Shoe Army into delirium. 

FIRST HALF

Inside the first minute, George Furbank was forced into desperate defensive action as Matt Gallagher raced onto a grubbered ball ahead following a spill only to fumble under pressure five metres from the line. 

Bath then spurned another scoring opportunity when Russell pulled a sixth-minute penalty attempt wide of the target. 

As the applause faded across the stadium in memory of  rugby league legend Rob Burrow following his recent passing, Russell made no mistake from ten metres out to open the scoring with the flags raised.

Once more from scrappy turnover ball, Bath threatened a breakaway score once more only for Muir to be expertly hunted down by Freeman and hauled into touch.

Saints had the opportunity to level the scores approaching the game's quarter-way mark only for Smith's penalty to bounce off the left upright and back into play. It didn't impact his confidence as moments later, the young fly-half knocked over a beautiful dropgoal.

It was shortly after the restart when Bath prop Obano drove a shoulder into the head of Juarno Augustus and after the TMO's assistance, Christophe Ridley delivered the red card.

Saints almost immediately made their extra man pay as a slick move in centre field saw Furbank burst through and put Freeman through untouched for the game's opening try that Smith converted. 

After surviving a scare at the other end with Russell's cross-field kick just being overhit, Furbank freed Sleightholme to skilfully kick a skidding effort along the Twickenham turf and put on the turbo boosters to race deep into the ingoal area to ground for an uncoverted score.

Bath heads did not drop and when they received a penalty inside the attacking 22, the Blue, Black and White's rolling maul worked its way to within inches of the line before South African prop du Toit showcased his potency from close range. Russell's conversion closed the gap to five points and that's how it stayed going into half time.

SECOND HALF

Inside the first ten minutes of the restart, Russell and Smith traded penalties either side of Burger Odendaal's afternoon coming to an end after a fierce collision that ended with a spill five metres from the Bath line. 

Entering the final half-an-hour, the scores drew level as Ben Spencer's clever kick located Muir who competed in the air with George Hendy and grounded the lose ball. After Alex Waller left the field of play for the final time in his long professional career, Russell pulled his conversion attempt wide. 

However, the Scotsman dusted himself down to send a 67th minute penalty through the posts and Saints trailed.

It wasn't to be the game's final score. Saints kept belief in their attack and when Hendy weaved his magic down the right wing, Mitchell arrived on a supporting line to cross by the posts. 

Furbank landed the conversion with Smith off the field injured as Saints showed immense defensive resilience to withstand a late Bath barrage to secure Premiership glory with Hendy's late strip and Tom James pumping the ball into touch to signal the final whistle.

LINE UPS

SAINTS: Furbank, Freeman, Odendaal, Dingwall, Sleightholme, F Smith, Mitchell; A Waller, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Coles, Lawes (c), Pearson, Augustus.
Replacements: Matavesi, Iyogun, Millar Mills, Mayanavanua, Graham, Ludlam, James, Hendy.

BATH: Gallagher, Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir, Russell, Spencer (C); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.
Replacements: Annett, Schoeman, Stuart, Stooke, Bayliss, Schreuder, Bailey, Reid.