Saints agony at Biggar near miss

HEARTS were in mouths at the end for Bath as Dan Biggar’s late conversion to snatch a draw here hit the post.

But all in all a result to warm the cockles on a wet and wild day.

Bath had looked home — albeit not dry — with 16 minutes left when Joe Cokanasiga ran in a try.

Freddie Burns had kicked high, caught the fumble from Piers Francis and found Elliott Stooke, who floated a lovely pass left to his big winger.

Burns added the conversion for a 10-point lead.

But after a Biggar penalty Bath almost disappeared down the plug hole.

Dave Attwood, so brilliant for the rest of this one, bashing, crashing and smashing away, took out Alex Mitchell at a ruck and conceded a penalty. And his second in quick succession saw Biggar whack to the corner.

Northampton contrived to mess up an eighth lineout of the day but then Mitchell snuck through and fed Tom Collins to score.

Two points behind, Saints rushed back to watch the kick and held their breath.

But as the clock went red Biggar’s effort hit the right post.

‘With the dull penalty at the end we gave them a sniff,’ said Attwood. ‘The ball was out. I had been asking the referee all game and he confirmed that one was.

‘I was like, “huzzah!” but unfortunately I tackled the No 9. If I had just picked it up I’d have been OK.

‘We were clear away at that point — they are the results that hang on a knife-edge. The win could be hugely important at the end of the season.’

Plenty were dismayed that Attwood will not be heading to Bristol with England today for their training camp — but while he thinks he has much to offer, the lock was not too perturbed.

‘I wasn’t expecting a phone call and didn’t get one,’ he added.

‘My dad is on the forums every night saying: “They should be picking that Attwood chap, he’s really good”.’