Saints edge out Gloucester to take top spot in festive thriller
These two sides clearly felt very let down with the level of drama across the Christmas television schedule as they served up a festive thriller of their own.
Northampton secured a bonus-point win that takes them to the top of the Premiership table, but they will be sweating on the fitness of Wales fly-half Dan Biggar, who continued valiantly after suffering a dead leg in the opening minute. He was eventually replaced at half-time.
Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd admitted: “We were disappointed with the Sale performance [last week], we know how congested this league is, so you have to scrimp and scrape to grind out victories.”
Gloucester took two losing bonus points home with them, and it was nothing more than they deserved. Wing Louis Rees-Zammit continues to make headlines and the 18-year-old’s hat-trick yesterday took his tally to five tries in two games.
His head coach, Johan Ackermann, has no qualms with Wales knocking on his door now. “If you invite him to a Wales camp, you don’t have to play him, but just the fact that he’ll be rubbing shoulders with the best of the best, that will be a great experience for him,” he said.
Northampton had lost their previous three matches in all competitions, while Gloucester arrived on the back of a 36-3 shellacking of Worcester. As such, Gloucester began as if they were playing for top spot in the league.
The Saints were lacking power and clout, but it took too long for the visitors to exploit that after they repelled several attempted Saints attacks. Captain Willi Heinz was the fulcrum in almost all that was good about Gloucester, and his swift service allowed Mark Atkinson to deftly chip through to Rees-Zammit, who kicked on then collected to open the scoring.
Northampton’s confidence reserves began to refill, however, when Taqele Naiyaravoro, alongside the everdestructive Teimana Harrison, grabbed the match by the scruff of the neck. Following one of Jamal Ford-Robinson’s three first-half indiscretions, Biggar provided a platform for his side from which even a team lacking in confidence could convert. Mikey Haywood found his man at the lineout, dotting down himself following a thrusting maul from his pack.
George Furbank – poised and classy as ever – took over the stand-off duties when Biggar did not re-emerge after half-time and, when Cobus Reinach scampered past Ford-Robinson to dive under the posts early in the second half, it looked as if the Saints would suffer no ill-effects from losing their totemic fly-half.
But it was a good job they had such a cushion. Gloucester continued to play some scintillating stuff and Northampton began to look a little rudderless.
Chris Harris then found himself on the end of a gorgeous one-handed offload from Atkinson to score under the posts, just after Reinach had had a second try ruled out by the TMO.
You cannot give Reinach a sniff, though. When a dangerous-looking Gloucester attack broke down in midfield, Northampton’s World Cupwinning scrum-half clubbed the ball downfield, collected it on the bounce and outsprinted the chasing defence to score. Reinach looked shattered and was duly replaced.
Northampton were clinging on, with a fatigued Reinach forcibly returning to the fray after back-to-back HIAs among the Northampton back three.
Tom Collins put in a brave last-gasp tackle on replacement Matt Banahan, and Danny Cipriani’s try was disallowed after Furbank managed to brush Gloucester’s conductor into touch.
Rees-Zammit’s second try, following a break from Harris, did bring Gloucester back to within touching distance, before he completed his hat-trick following the cutest of Harris tip-ons.
That made the difference four points but, after one final Gloucester offence, Piers Francis restored order to a bouncing Franklin’s Gardens.
Northampton clearly enjoy playing in front of their own supporters and remain unbeaten at home since April, while a seventh loss in 10 matches gives Ackermann’s Gloucester plenty to ponder in their new year’s resolutions.
‘If Louis is invited to a Wales camp, rubbing shoulders with the best will be great for him’
Scores 0-5 Rees-Zammit try, 0-7 Cipriani con, 3-7 Biggar pen, 8-7 Haywood try, 10-7 Biggar con, 13-7 Biggar pen, 18-7 Reinach try, 20-7 Francis con, 20-12 Harris try, 20-14 Cipriani con, 25-14 Reinach try, 27-14 Francis con, 27-19 Rees-Zammit try, 27-21 Cipriani con, 30-21 Francis pen, 30-26 Rees-Zammit try, 33-26 Francis pen. Northampton G Furbank; T Collins, R Hutchinson, P Francis, T Naiyaravoro (A Symons 59, Reinach 64, Naiyaravoro 67); D Biggar (A Tuala 40), C Reinach (H Taylor 56); F van Wyk (A Waller 66), M Haywood (S Matavesi 71), E Painter (P Hill 56); A Moon (D Ribbans 56), C Lawes; T Wood, L Ludlam, T Harrison. Gloucester T Marshall; C Sharples (M Banahan 18), C Harris, M Atkinson (B Twelvetrees 74), L Rees-Zammit; D Cipriani, W Heinz (J Simpson 43, Heinz 54, Simpson 74); J Hohneck, F Marais, J Ford-Robinson (F Balmain 58), A Craig (G Grobler 40), F Mostert, R Ackermann, L Ludlow (T Gleave 66), B Morgan (F Clarke 40). Sin-bin Hohneck. Referee Karl Dickson.