Match Report: Northampton Saints 26-54 Leinster Rugby

Northampton Saints fell to a strong Leinster side in their first clash of the 2024/25 season, as the Dublin outfit secured a 26-54 victory in the preseason clash.

Despite a strong start from Northampton seeing captain James Ramm over the tryline early doors, it was Leinster’s Scott Penny and Gus McCarthy who profited from their prowess at the maul before a deft effort from centre Liam Turner and a penalty try gave Leinster a healthy lead at the break. 

And though Saints rallied to send Robbie Smith, Will Glister and Sam Graham over in the second half, Leinster would themselves score four more – with efforts from Michael Milne, Alan Spicer, Henry McErlean and Sam Predergast putting them out of Saints’ reach. 

FIRST HALF

It was to be Saints that scored the first points of the season, with the side’s patience off the back of an attacking lineout eventually opening up a gap that Charlie Savala put skipper Ramm through.

The fly-half’s conversion put Saints seven points up, but Leinster closed the gap on the 13-minute mark when Penny rumbled over from close range. 

That was to be the story of the day for Leinster, with another maul seeing McCarthy over shortly after from two metres out this time.  

Byrne’s conversion made it 12-7 in Leinster’s favour, and they quickly added a third after a Savala clearance was charged down and the ball went loose in Saints’ 22. Leinster hands found the ball first and eventually it was centre Turner who straightened to dive over. 

Leinster’s fourth came on the half-hour mark as the away side camped themselves on the Saints’ tryline and infringements built up against Northampton there. Millar Mills was shown a yellow card and Leinster’s scrum came to the fore to see referee Jack Makepeace go under the posts and award a penalty try.

A spirited Saints attack saw Savala, Ramm and Tom Seabrook put Northampton close as the clock entered the red at the end of the first half. But Leinster’s defence eventually forced a handling error over the tryline and the half ended with the scoreboard 26-7 to Leinster. 

SECOND HALF

Despite still being down the 14 men, Saints hit back first after the break. Northampton’s maul got going again before hooker Smith who broke away and muscled his way over. 

Savala’s conversion closed the arrears further but Leinster opened the deficit up again quickly, with another close-range effort seeing Milne stretch over the line. 

A brilliant show of pace from Josh Kemeny in his first outing in Black, Green and Gold saw Saints back on the front foot, with the back rower speeding into the Leinster 22 from halfway before offloading to Glister for Saints’ third. 

But Leinster replied with two more scores, pushing into Saints’ half and sending Spicer rumbling over before moving the ball through the hands to see McErlean cross out wide. 

On the hour-mark it was again Saints’ turn to send the maul over the whitewash. This time it was No. 8 Graham who grounded the ball at the base after Northampton’s forwards muscled close. 

But Leinster would have the last word, adding a eighth try with three minutes left on the clock as they build the phases in Saints’ half to send Predergast galloping through a gap. 

And though a series of well-fought penalties at the scrum saw Saints creep back into Leinster’s 22, the away side managed to wrestle the ball back at the maul as the clock ticked over 80-minutes and the full time whistle was blown. 

LINE-UPS:

SAINTS: Ramm (c), Glister, Thame, Hutchinson, Seabrook, Savala, McParland; Iyogun, Langdon, Millar Mills, Hunter-Hill, Munga, Kemeny, Pearson, Graham. 
Replacements: R Smith, Wright, Haffar, West, Prowse, Green, Benson, Logan, Scott-Young, Pollock, Weimann, Witheat, Cousins, Va’enuku*, Pasco, Baker.

LEINSTER: Osbourne, O’Brien, Turner, Tector, Russell, R Byrne, McGrath, Boyle, McCarthy, Clarkson, Deeny, OTightearnaigh, Deegan, Penny, Conan (c). 
Replacements: McKee, Barron, Milne, Slimani, McGuire, Spicer, Soroka, Culhane, Connors, Foley, Gunne, Predergast, H Byrne, Cooney, McErlean, King.