Ospreys upset the odds to win at Franklin’s Gardens
JIM Mallinder was under increasing pressure to hang onto his job after his side’s terrible season turned into a full blown crisis with a damaging home European defeat by Ospreys.
Saints captain Dylan Hartley had a verbal confrontation with one angry fan as he walked off the field after being replaced in the second half. The supporter vented his fury at the players on the edge of the field and Hartley tried to calm him down.
But Mallinder refused to discuss his future after the game when asked if he feared for his job as the fans also turned their backs on their team last night with the ground just over half full.
The director of rugby responded: “I don’t make those decisions. It’s a tough game to be involved in when you are losing. But I just concentrate on trying to get the team to play. I’m very disappointed.
“We are too inconsistent and we concede too many tries. We just can’t win games.”
But with Saints winning just four of their 13 domestic and European games, Mallinder is struggling to turn things around at the club.
A remarkable, exciting and also occasionally violent encounter saw 11 tries scored in total, and 55 points amassed in a manic second half.
There were three yellow cards and one red awarded by French referee Alexandre Ruiz. Saints also used four different No10s during the game, and it was a crazy, chaotic European occasion which ultimately ended in huge failure for a Saints side which was trailing 43-8 and scored 24 points near the end to no avail.
It was Saints’ third successive Champions Cup loss and their European campaign has vanished. They lie tenth in the Premiership and have just one bonus point in the Champions Cup.
Many disgruntled fans walked out after just 50 minutes of this contest as their side conceded a fourth try to Ospreys and trailed 31-3. They missed a thrilling final 30 minutes.
Ospreys shrugged off having Jeff Hassler sinconvert. binned in the first half and trailing 3-0 to a Stephen Myler penalty to take full control. Myler replaced Piers Francis who went off with a head injury. But Myler followed suit with a leg injury and Harry Mallinder switched to flyhalf duties.
Ospreys led 17-3 at the break. Davies’ penalty was followed by Dan Evans bursting over for Davies to Hassler surged through a large gap and fed Tom Habberfield to stroll over untouched for a converted try.
Ospreys kept up their dominance when Hassler raced over and Evans fed Kieron Fonotia for the fourth and bonus point try.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, Saints showed some desire, resolve and cutting edge. True Ospreys sat back as if the job had been done. But an amazing spell saw four tries as Hartley, Rob Horne, Ahsee Tuala and Mallinder crossed for Saints.
The last one sparked a brawl and referee Ruiz sinbinned both Mallinder and Rob McCusker.
From 43-8 down Saints were 12 points behind but it was too late.
Ospreys wing Hanno Dirksen was sent off for a dangerous tackle on JP Estelles leaving the visitors to finish the game with 13 men... but victorious!