| Northampton: (17) 24 |
| Tries: Pearson, Coles, Hendy Pen: Smith Cons: Smith 3 |
| Tub: (15) 18 |
| Tries: Du Toit, De Glanville Pens: Bailey, Spencer Con: Bailey |
Northampton Saints spoiled Tom Dunn’s two hundredth sport for Tub as they registered a second successive Premiership win.
Tom Pearson and Alex Coles crossed for Saints, however two different Toms – Du Toit and De Glanville – replied as Tub went into the break two factors behind.
George Hendy scored Northampton’s third strive following a lineout earlier than Dunn was despatched on as a substitute.
Tub compelled a sequence of turnovers as they pressed ahead however Ben Spencer’s lone penalty was all they might muster.
The victory enabled Northampton to maneuver as much as fourth and only one level behind their opponents, having begun the league marketing campaign inauspiciously with back-to-back defeats by Sale and Bristol.
Either side had an England participant again from the World Cup of their beginning XVs – Saints membership captain Lewis Ludlam and Sam Underhill for Tub.
The 2 sides exchanged early penalties earlier than a missed sort out by Du Toit and glorious go by Tom James enabled Pearson to energy by for his second Premiership strive of the season – and fourth general.
Prop Du Toit atoned as he crossed following a break by Cameron Redpath, just for James to assist restore Northampton’s lead with an offload on the within to Coles.
De Glanville went over within the nook to chop the deficit, however he mishandled the ball into contact early within the second half and following the lineout, Hendy eluded Underhill and Orlando Bailey for Saints’ third.
Spencer’s penalty meant Tub may nonetheless win with a transformed strive however Premiership debutant Sam Harris, despatched on when Will Muir suffered an assault of cramp, was introduced down seven metres quick after a superb break and the possibility disappeared when Max Ojomoh knocked on.
Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson advised BBC Radio Northampton:
“We in all probability made it a bit of bit troublesome for ourselves however managed to drag by.
“Final week and this week, the sport has come down, within the final two minutes, to the defence and that is credit score, clearly to the gamers, but in addition [defence coach] Lee Radford.
“We had been pissed off final week with the scrummaging efficiency and we have gone fairly laborious at it. Paul Hill got here in with a superb perspective and great vitality. He is an excellent participant and I am delighted he confirmed what he is able to.
“I feel we solely bought into their 22 within the second half as soon as, in order that capacity to go from the kick battle in the midst of the sector to really turning the screw and entering into their half to create stress, whether or not that is by penalties or alternatives to attain, that was an space we had been barely off.”
Tub scrum-half Ben Spencer advised BBC Radio Bristol:
“We gave ourselves alternatives to win, particularly within the final quarter-hour, however could not fairly recover from the road.
“Our self-discipline launched a bit of little bit of stress at important moments, however credit score to Saints, they’re a very good outfit.
“There are small margins [in this kind of game], we have spoken about that within the final couple of weeks – you solely want to have a look at what South Africa did within the quarters, semi and closing [of the World Cup], they had been all one-point video games [and they won them] and we had been inside a rating at present.
“There is a lengthy method to go on this competitors, the spirit’s nonetheless excessive and the group has lots of confidence in the way in which we’re taking part in.”
Northampton: Furbank (capt); Freeman, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Hendy; F Smith, James; A Waller, Langdon, Millar Mills, Moon, Coles, Scott-Younger, Pearson, Ludlam.
Replacements: Cruse, E Waller, Hill, Munga, Graham, McParland, Sleightholme, Seabrook.
Tub: De Glanville; McConnochie, Ojomoh, Redpath, Muir; Bailey, Schreuder; Obano, Annett, Du Toit, McNally, Lee-Warner, Reid (capt), Underhill, Coetzee.
Replacements: Dunn, Schoeman, Stuart, Ewels, Barbeary, Spencer, Harris, Hennessey.
Referee: Adam Leal
