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Saracens' five-match winning streak is ended by gritty Northampton
Northampton ended Saracens’ five-match winning streak as Phil Dowson’s men secured a gritty 18-12 Gallagher Premiership win at StoneX Stadium on Saturday evening.
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The Saints enjoyed the better of the first period, showing real defensive resilience as they headed in at half-time 6-0 up thanks to two Fin Smith penalties.
Tries from Ollie Sleightholme and Alex Mitchell made sure of the victory, despite Saracens threatening a late fightback when Alex Lewington crossed over with seven minutes to go.
Both teams had gone into the game without key players, with Saracens missing Owen Farrell due to a knee injury just days after he announced a break from international rugby while Lewis Ludlam was out for Saints with an ankle problem.
It was Northampton who started on the front foot, but they missed the chance to go ahead when Smith sent his penalty attempt wide from distance.
Super slick try for Saints ?
That dummy from Alex Mitchell ???#SARvNOR #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/MbpbIVzqYU
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 2, 2023
However, Smith made amends soon after as the visitors continued their determined start to the match. Smith then doubled the lead with another penalty – this time earned at the scrum – and Northampton were continuing to get chances to apply pressure in the home half.
But Saracens did not look in danger of conceding a try and they had chances of their own to turn the screw before the break, kicking two penalties to the corner.
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Northampton were proving a hard nut to crack though and they forced a knock-on before turning over a home maul. It meant the Saints could go in at the break with a slender lead.
The away side brought on Temo Mayanavanua for his debut at the interval, the Fiji lock taking the place of Chunya Munga, who had failed a head injury assessment.
Saracens sent on some reinforcements of their own early in the second half, replacing their entire front row, meaning Jamie George and Mako Vunipola were among those introduced.
But Saints were still showing real energy and after George Furbank led a breakaway, the men in white kept their composure, with Fraser Dingwall’s crossfield kick finding Sleightholme, who gathered and scored.
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Smith added the extras to make it 13-0, but Saracens responded quickly, setting up camp in the Saints’ 22 and with Alex Coles down injured, Manu Vunipola’s excellent pass found Tom Parton in space to dive over.
Coles had to be helped from the field before Manu Vunipola hit the left post with his conversion attempt. Northampton responded with a sucker-punch score, with Angus Scott-Young leading a break before finding Mitchell, who finished in fine fashion.
Smith saw his conversion come back off the left post, leaving the gap at 13 points and Saracens were threatening to make Northampton pay for that miss when Lewington latched onto a grubber kick to score, with Manu Vunipola cutting the gap to six points with the conversion.
Northampton held their nerve, going through the phases in the final stages to make sure of a crucial away win.
- Click here for all the RugbyPass stats from the Saracens versus Northampton Premiership game
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments