Grayson shines as Saints go on a scoring spree
NORTHAMPTON got their Premiership season off to a winning start at Franklin’s Gardens.
Injury-hit Gloucester contributed fully to the entertainment but two yellow cards and a high penalty count against them proved costly.
Saints took advantage to score four tries from George Furbank, Nick Auterac, Tom Wood and James Grayson, with the latter adding two penalties and three conversions.
Ollie Thorley, Jordy Reid and Jonny May scored Gloucester’s tries, with Lloyd Evans kicking a penalty and a conversion.
There was a frenetic start with both sides threatening the try-line in the first five minutes. Gloucester lost four lineouts in the first 25 minutes and conceded a number of penalties so it came as no surprise when they were punished.
Hooker Jack Singleton was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on but it was the hosts’ turn to have a lineout malfunction which allowed Gloucester to break out and score their first try.
Gloucester’s penalty count was ever mounting when a minute from half-time Clement was yellow-carded for dragging down a lineout and his side were trailing 10-5 at the interval.
Saints took advantage of their numerical superiority and two tries meant Gloucester had a mountain to climb.
Grayson’s second penalty gave Saints breathing space and they had the final say with a bonus-point try.