Electric Piutau carves up Northampton

A DISAPPOINTING first half was too much for Northampton to overcome as they suffered defeat in Ulster on Friday.

Saints won the second half 19-5 to end the game on a high but they still couldn’t claw their way back from a 24-0 first half in favour of the hosts.

The home side were forced to play with 14 men early on after Rodney Ah You was sent to the bin for a reckless tackle on Ben Foden but Northampton were not able to score.

Ulster, in fact, did better than just survive and they opened the scoring through Louis Ludik and when Louis Picamoles was yellow carded for repeated infringements Saints found themselves 10-0 behind.

Piutau was next on the scoresheet before a wellexecuted driving maul extended the lead to 24-0 at the break.

Saints upped the tempo in the second half and it paid off as Alex Waller barged his way over to put them on the board.

But just as quick as the Saints’ game was coming together, Ulster rediscovered theirs through the electric Piutau.The All Black hit a superb line in midfield before brilliantly offloading to Jacob Stockdale for theUlstermen’s fourth try.

But Northampton had the last word with Tom Collins at the end of a slick backs move and new signing Juan Pablo Estelles showing great footballing skills kicking through twice before scoring.