Head coach Charlie Reed tipped his cap to the fitness and maturity of Northampton Saints Under-18s, as they reached a fourth successive Premiership Rugby Under-18 Academy League final with a resounding 62-17 victory over Leicester Tigers.
The young Saints held a 19-17 lead at the break against their East Midlands rivals on the main pitch at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
But seven unanswered tries after the interval saw the hosts canter home to book their place on Finals Day at Kingsholm Stadium on Sunday 16 February.
“It was a really special moment for the boys,” said Reed. “To have this academy block as short as it is, and they would have played at Kingston Park, on the first team pitch at Saints, and then they’re playing at Kingsholm in the final in a couple of weeks, it is a really good experience for them.
“I’d like to give a big thanks to the Club for being supportive and having the match on the main pitch.
“Playing in the stadium allowed the boys to create special memories in front of their friends and family, it was a very special occasion.”
Charlie Reed, Academy Coach
Freddie St John and Henry Lumley got themselves a try each while four players grabbed braces. Jack Lewis, Lucas Norton and Siep Walta landed doubles, as did 16-year-old Charlie Tamani, who beat 22 defenders from 13 carries. Hugh Shields added six successful conversions.
“In the end our fitness and our training level in how quickly we like to play and how quickly we like to move the ball consistently throughout our week into the into the games, just came through in the second half,” explained Reed.
“I think what was more pleasing is that we spoke about making some defensive adjustments at half-time and then we go on in the second half to not concede any points.
“The maturity of those boys to walk in at half-time, calm, be collected, discuss things that were already kind of in our brains as coaches, and then go and apply it almost immediately, is really, really impressive.
“They problem-solve on the move, which was definitely shown in the second half.”
Today's win means we are into the @premrugby U18 League Final for the fourth consecutive season 🙌 pic.twitter.com/YABNJbsvoj
— Saints Rugby Academy (@SaintsRugbyAcad) February 1, 2025
A day before the Tigers game, Saints Academy centre Edoardo Todaro bagged a try and a man-of-the-match award on his U20 Six Nations debut for Italy in their away victory over Scotland.
“I am very pleased for him,” said Reed about the 18-year-old. “That has been on his bucket list to represent the under 20s at this age, so to go and achieve it and to do it in that fashion, I think is just such a credit to him. Even more important was the turnover he got immediately after he scored.
“He's always been a player that bases himself on confidence, and those couple of touches just allowed him to put his mark on the game and for him to do that and get himself man-of-the-match, we’re delighted for him.”
Saints U17s were also victorious over their Tigers counterparts with Will Howes crossing the line twice, and Cailen Chin, George Cooper and Will Hepher also scoring five-pointers. Ethan Horne and Kai Fisher landed two successful conversions each in a 33-19 win.
Saints Under-18s (vs Leicester Tigers): 15 Pater, 14 Jackson, 13 Lumley, 12 St John, 11 Tamani, 10 Shields, 9 Evans; 1 Browne, 2 Garrett, 3 Reid, 4 Hull, 5 Lawrence (c), 6 Lewis, 7 Price, 8 Walta.
Replacements: 16 Barnett-Vincent, 17 Veevers, 18 Williams, 19 Mark Miska-Alvarez, 20 Hudson, 21 Norton, 22 Innes, 23 Goode.
