Saints soar as lineout flaw floors Gloucester
JAMES CRAIG’S mastery of the aerial battle ensured that Northampton strengthened their Anglo-Welsh qualification chances with a solid victory over Gloucester.
Gloucester lost six of their own throws, with Craig a constant menace as Charlie Clare’s try and 14 points from the boot of Sam Olver made it two wins from two. Craig told The Rugby
Paper: “You don’t usually get that many lineout turnovers so it’s nice when all the homework has paid paid off.
“As a pack of forwards we performed particularly well, our half-backs controlled the game and we’re very pleased with the win.”
Two snaffled lineouts cost Gloucester early field position but they almost grabbed the opening try after James Wilson dithered before being scragged on his own goalline.
Lewis Ludlow narrowly failed to gather the loose ball but Gloucester soon drew first blood when flyhalf Billy Burns slotted a three-pointer after the visitors had forced a scrum penalty.
Northampton responded, with their own lively fly-half Olver creating space for Sam Dickinson and Luther Burrell, only for Jamie Gibson to shell Burrell’s exquisitely timed offload.
Olver posted Northampton’s first points after their pack turned the screw at scrum-time, before slotting his side ahead on 28 minutes when Gloucester strayed offside.
Northampton’s set-piece dominance grew as Gloucester were shoved off their own scrum and Rory Hutchinson’s excellent touchfinder ensured Saints took full advantage.
Gibson ruined a third Gloucester set-piece, earn- ing a penalty which Olver kicked to the corner, with the resultant lineout drive being finished by Clare for his first Northampton try.
Olver converted for a 13-3 half-time lead and Northampton, with scrumhalf Tom Kessell to the fore, began the second period with intent after Gibson reclaimed Gloucester’s restart.
Gloucester openside Dan
Thomas was sin-binned for killing the ball, but Saints wasted a golden opportunity when Wilson opted to run the penalty from in front.
Burrell was isolated and turned over and Gloucester continued to hold on, but as the penalty count mounted Olver finally spurned the corner in favour of an easy three-pointer.
England back-row hopeful Teimana Harrison emerged from the bench as Northampton decided to up the ante and Olver’s coolly struck drop goal extended his side’s lead to 16 points.
Saints wing Jamie Elliott was forced to scramble back as Gloucester launched a rare attack through Mat Protheroe, but momentum was lost when Josh Hohneck knocked-on.
Hutchinson smashed Henry Purdy into touch as Gloucester came again, before Tom Collins fielded a Lloyd Evans bomb to set Northampton back on attack.
Gloucester defended bravely, though, and then rocked Saints when Ollie Thorley collected Olver’s intended cross-kick to Elliott and raced home from halfway.
Ben Foden was forced to scramble as Gloucester sensed a chance and they closed the gap to six points when Thomas took advantage of loose play from Saints.
Northampton survived, leaving Gloucester coach Tim Taylor to reflect: “We struggled in the scrum and lineout at times but it’s great experience for our young boys.
“A lot of them put in solid performances and at least we’ve gone away with a bonus point.”