| Gallagher Premiership |
|---|
| Northampton (15) 21 |
| Tries: Dingwall, Mallinder Cons: Biggar Pens: Mallinder 3 |
| Saracens (8) 27 |
| Tries: Segun, Singleton, Tompkins, Earl Cons: Vunipola 2 Pens: Vunipola |
Saracens hit back from conceding two tries in the opening five minutes to secure a hard-fought bonus point win over Northampton.
Fraser Dingwall and Harry Mallinder caught Sarries cold in the opening stages before Rotimi Segun replied.
The visitors took advantage of Saints going down to 13 men early in the second half, when Jack Singleton and Wales’ Nick Tompkins both crossed.
Mallinder reduced the deficit before Ben Earl’s score settled matters.
Saints’ defeat came at the further cost of losing Wales stand-off Dan Biggar to a knee injury, just a week before the Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham.
The afternoon started in perfect fashion for the hosts as Dingwall crossed after three minutes, followed by Mallinder’s try which came after a deft inside pass from Biggar.
Just eight days after being thrashed 60-10 by Wasps, Sarries had to show their fighting mentality after suddenly finding themselves 12-0 down.
Segun’s try was quickly followed by Manu Vunipola’s penalty but Saints ended the half strongly despite Biggar’s exit, as Mallinder’s boot earned them a 15-8 half-time advantage.
However, the hosts could not continue where they left off and Lewis Bean was yellow-carded for a high tackle, then followed into the sin-bin a minute later by winger Taqele Naiyaravoro.
Saracens seized the advantage with two tries in quick succession from hooker Singleton and new Welsh centre Tompkins.
That gave them the lead and, with just over 20 minutes remaining, England flanker Earl intercepted a Cobus Reinach pass to run in from halfway.
With Sarries down to 14 men for most of the last 16 minutes after two yellow cards of their own, Mallinder’s late penalty secured a losing bonus point for Saints who sit third.
The win was already-relegated reigning champions Saracens’ eighth from 12 Premiership matches this season.
Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd told BBC Radio Northampton:
“We were the masters of our own destiny. We were 12-0 up, should have scored another try close to the posts, we went down to 13 men, conceded two tries.
“We had plenty of opportunities to win and to build some more points that would have given us a bigger margin.
“But when we needed to be clinically accurate, which we’ve talked about, some of those things deserted us. If you looked at the tries they got, they didn’t have to work too hard for them.”
On Dan Biggar’s injury he added: “I don’t think it is (a bad injury). He’s hyper-extended his leg in a collision and he seems to be moving relatively OK.
“I don’t think he’s got any major structural damage from what I’m led to believe, so it’s one of those ones where we’ll wait and see.”
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:
“It was a great performance for lots of reasons. To be 12-0 down after the result last weekend and then we lost Wray, Goode and Taylor to injury – so there were lots of reasons for us to collapse.
“But the fact we didn’t is so pleasing and makes us so proud.
“We didn’t cope very well with setbacks against Wasps, so to be 12-0 down and respond and see them back themselves and fight for each other was really pleasing.”
Northampton: Mallinder; Tuala, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Biggar, Reinach; Van Wyk, Fish, Hill, Coles, Bean, Wood, Tonks, Harrison (capt)
Replacements: Marshall, B Franks, O Franks, Glynn, Eadie, Taylor, Symons, Proctor
Sin bin: Bean (44), Naiyaravoro (45).
Saracens: Goode; Segun, Taylor, Tompkins, Lewington; M Vunipola, Wigglesworth; Barrington, Singleton, Lamositele, Skelton, Hunter-Hill, Isiekwe, Earl, Wray (capt)
Replacements: Woolstencroft, Carre, Koch, Kpoku, Clark, Day, Morris, Gallagher
Sin bin: Segun (64), Lewington (75).
Referee: Matthew Carley.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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