Poacher Ribbans seals it for Saints at the death
THIS thunderous encounter between two hugely committed sides went Northampton’s way after a sensational piece of quick-thinking by David Ribbans.
With Saints trailing 26-20 and the clock on zero, lock forward Ribbans tapped a closerange penalty and plunged over, leaving battling Bath disconsolate under their posts as James Grayson coolly banged over the conversion to fire his side into the title race.
Ribbans, a colossus throughout, said: “I had Alex Mitchell in my ear saying ‘have a crack, go for it’, so I couldn’t resist. All I saw was the try-line and I was lucky to get over.
“Conceding two penalties to go behind late on, everyone was a bit nervous, but the fans brought us energy and we showed a lot of character and courage.”
Bath butchered the kickoff and a blistering start from Saints saw Piers Francis and Ribbans held up before Tom Wood charged but was dispossessed.
Boosted by great defence from Zach Mercer, Ruaridh McConnochie and Elliott Stooke among others, Bath mounted their first concerted attack through Jonathan Joseph and Jackson Willison, only for Darren Atkins’ loose pass to be snaffled by Alex Waller.
Grayson’s long-range penalty nudged Saints ahead after Bath were smashed at scrum-time. Bath then suffered a blow when Atkins damaged a knee under pressure from George Furbank, with replacement Freddie Burns assuming the full-back role.
Saints were building a head of steam and they came close to a breakthrough when Rory Hutchinson and Ahsee Tuala released Wood.
Bath halted Wood’s charge before Mercer galloped clear and offloaded to Cooper Vuna. Tuala did well to deal with his chip, but back roared Bath to notch the opening try when Joseph’s offload found Rhys Priestland, who ushered McConnochie over.
Priestland booted a 44th minute penalty to extend Bath’s lead but Saints hit back with a belting try, their risk-reward policy paying off when Mitchell, Grayson, Hutchinson, Furbank and Tuala attacked from deep and Hutchinson finished from Wood’s pass.
Grayson’s conversion levelled matters but Northampton were suckerpunched from the restart when Priestland and Joseph engineered space for Mercer, who left James Haskell for dead before romping home.
Francois Louw and Nathan Catt punched the air after successive turnovers on Grayson and Lewis Ludlam as Saints sought a way back, before Grayson and Priestland exchanged penalties.
Northampton levelled again – and another cracker it was too as, after Grayson, Luther Burrell and Wood had built an attack down the right, the ball was switched inside and Mitchell, spotting space, sold Mercer before haring under the sticks.
Jamie Gibson was twice the culprit as successive penalties from Priestland nudged Bath 26-20 ahead, but Gibson soon atoned with a charge down on Max Green and when Bath conceded the close-range penalty, Ribbans brought the house down.