Match Report: Stade Francais 45-35 Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints’ unbeaten run in the Investec Champions Cup pool stages came to an end in Paris, as the men in Black, Green and Gold were defeated 45-35 by Stade Francais. 

Saints shot out to a 21-0 lead after just 17 minutes at Stade Jean Bouin, with an early score from Tom Lockett added to a brace of Henry Pollock tries. But the home side fought back into the match in the game’s second quarter, scoring three of their own through Peni Dakuwaqa, JJ van der Mesch and Yoan Tanga before the break. 

Northampton bookended the second half with tries from hookers Henry Walker and Curtis Langdon, but another trio of Stade scores – from Samuel Ezeala, Tanga and Paul Gabrillagues – added to a penalty try for the home side proved too much for Saints to overcome. 

FIRST-HALF:

Saints commanded the lion’s share of early possession and first stretched their legs into Stade’s 22 in the game’s eighth minute – though a final pass from James Ramm to a waiting Tom Litchfield was adjudged forwards on that occasion. 

Northampton’s first score did come just moments later after as their momentum earned Saints a lineout inside Stade’s 22 and Lockett eventually stretched over just right of the posts. 

Hutchinson – who replaced Fin Smith at fly-half in a late change for Saints – added his first conversion of the night and he was soon stepping up for two more after Pollock scored Saints’ second and then third. 

The Saints No.8 wrestled his way over the whitewash after another period of pressure for his first, but his second came from a moment of individual brilliance, as the talented youngster stripped the ball in a tackle and sprinted in unopposed from halfway. 

A third Hutchinson conversion made it 21-0 in Saints’ favour but Stade brought themselves right back into it with a brace of scores, first sending Dakuwaqa diving over on the right before Van der Mesch charged down Hutchinson’s clearing kick and regathered to race in under the posts.

Saints were almost over for a fourth when a half-break from Tommy Freeman nearly set James Ramm free but Stade fought back to have the final word of the first-half, sending a driving maul over Saints’ tryline with No. 8 Tanga at the base. 

SECOND HALF:

Henry’s conversion meant the teams returned to the field with the scoreline at 19-21 but Saints had soon stretched their lead again. Pushing into Stade’s 22, Alex Mitchell was almost able to stretch over but after a reload it was eventually hooker Walker who crossed for Northampton. 

The extended lead was short-lived though as Stade hit straight back, sending another driving maul over the whitewash only for referee Eoghan Cross to get under the posts to award a penalty try – sending Mitchell off for his actions at the maul in the process. 

And Stade used their extra man to pull ahead, moving the ball at pace to send Ezeala through a gap in Saints’ line before Tanga added a second to stretch the lead to 38-28.

Saints lost captain Josh Kemeny to a yellow card for a late tackle entering the final ten minutes and Stade immediately capitalised when Gabrillagues guided a rolling maul over the line. Henry’s extras opened a 17-point advantage.

Langdon responded by finishing off a rolling maul which Hutchinson converted, but the visitors left it too late to find another score and to salvage a second bonus point from their trip to the French capital.

Saints have already secured their place in the Investec Champions Cup knock-out stages and return to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens next weekend to take on Munster Rugby in Round 4. 

LINE-UPS:

Stade: 15 Jonas, 14 Dakuwaqa, 13 Ezeala, 12 Delbouis, 11 Etien, 10 Henry, 9 Foursans; 1 Alo-Emile, 2 Nicotera, 3 Gomez Kodela, 4 Gabrillagues, 5 Van der Mescht, 6 Halaifonua, 7 Briatte, 8 Tanga.
Replacements: 16 Garcia, 17 Koffi, 18 Ndiaye, 19 Macalou 20 Pesenti, 21 Weber, 22 Carbonel 23 Marchant.

Saints: 15 Ramm, 14 Freeman, 13 Litchfield, 12 Savala, 11 Seabrook, 10 Hutchinson, 9 Mitchell; 1 Haffar, 2 Walker, 3 Davison, 4 Prowse, 5 Lockett, 6 Kemeny (c), 7 Scott-Young, 8 Pollock.
Replacements: 16 C Langdon, 17 West, 18 Green, 19 Hunter-Hill, 20 Brown, 21 Pearson, 22 McParland, 23 Makepeace-Cubitt.