Saints silenced by Latu’s late stunner
AT the end, there was just silence. No boos, little angst, just mere acceptance of a Northampton side that have simply not been good enough over the past five Premiership matches.
When Newcastle camped themselves on the hosts’ line, 22-17 in arrears, there was an inevitability that the Falcons would heap further misery on the Saints and Nili Latu delivered, touching down with the clock in the red.
Even a draw would have been met with derision by the home faithful but Sonatane Takulua provided the coup de grace, kicking a simple conversion to the left of the uprights for the Tynesiders’ first league victory since September.
Those within Northampton may still believe that top-four is a possibility but, on recent performances, Jim Mallinder’s men will be fortunate to get Champions Cup rugby next season.
“It’s so frustrating and disappointing,” Mallinder, Northampton’s director of rugby, said. “In the first half there were lots of mistakes, it was very nervous.
“You could sense that in the players and in the whole crowd, and that happens when you lose a few games on the bounce.
“In the second half we improved and dominated the game, created plenty of try-scoring opportunities, but unfortunately the TMO wasn’t on our side.”
The Saints will rue what seemed like a constant stream of TMO interventions which went against them but, as the Falcons will attest to, little appears to go right when results are not forthcoming.
Newcastle themselves were on a similarly fraught run of form but, under the guidance of Dean Richards, there is a semblance of mental fortitude in their ranks.
That was very much in evidence in the second half after they resisted a wave of Northampton attacks to construct one final foray and secure the win.
While the visitors may not be producing the type of displays their director of rugby expects, there is now enough individual quality to get them by. And after Harry Mallinder had opened the scoring for the hosts, Sinoti Sinoti , whose dancing feet mesmerised the Midlanders throughout, showed why they were once in the top-four.
The Samoan international bounced off tackles at will and, when another home defender failed to grasp hold of the 32-year-old, the wing took the Falcons ahead.
Josh Matavesi then benefited from further Sinoti excellence, supporting the back three player’s break and touching down from close range.
A penalty try and a yellow card for Toby Flood halted the away side’s surge but their fly-half returned from the sin-bin to move Newcastle five points clear.
Once again, Mallinder’s men found themselves under duress but they responded well and England captain Dylan Hartley crossed the whitewash fol- lowing a dominant driving maul.
Piers Francis, who had come on at half-time for youngster James Grayson, added the conversion and then a penalty as Northampton looked to have wrestled control from their opponents.
Richards’ team had other ideas, however, and provided one last sting in the tail. It was all a matter of patience and the visitors were adept in biding their time as the forwards pounded the opposition line.
Eventually, the defence had to be breached but, when it was, it seemed all too easy and rather summarised Saints’ recent struggles.