Beaten Saints still struggling as life after Mallinder looks grim
NORTHAMPTON’S winter of discontent continued at Franklin’s Gardens as they fell to their 10th consecutive defeat in major competitions.
The Saints may be discovering that sacked director of rugby Jim Mallinder was not the source of all their problems. He left 12 days ago and Northampton have shipped 67 points in two matches since.
Here they conceded 17 penalties, two yellow cards and four tries at home in a terrible showing.
England captain Dylan Hartley endured a poor afternoon — he made the one carry, for zero metres, and the lineout creaked throughout.
‘It was disappointing,’ said interim head coach Alan Dickens. ‘One of the problems we have talked about is confidence. We need that win.
‘I have every belief in the players and I could not have asked for more from them this week. The players need to take responsibility and they certainly do that. They will be the ones to drive us forward. It is a challenge, but one I am relishing.’
While Northampton flap, the Chiefs continue to soar. They are 11 points clear at the top of the table with Saracens playing today. The champions’ ravenous nature was summed up when they scored their bonus-point try with the clock dead — Jack Yeandle crawling over the line.
Forwards coach Rob Hunter was delighted, saying: ‘It gives us a pretty good Christmas, that’s for sure. There is a hunger and a voraciousness here and the competition internally if very high.
‘Even though we have got a bit of a gap at the top it is
important we continue to learn and not sit back and think everything is rosy.’
Will Chudley scored the Chiefs’ first try after a Gareth Steenson penalty. He dummied Courtney Lawes and then chipped Ben Foden to score.
Ahsee Tuala then went in for Saints and Piers Francis converted. Steenson’s penalty before the break meant Exeter only led by four. But then the siege began. Steenson knocked over a penalty when Nic Groom did not roll away from a ruck, and then Foden was sin-binned for killing the ball.
Northampton gave away two more penalties in their 22 – both were kicked to the corner and on the second occasion Exeter rolled over the line and Sam Simmonds scored.
Thomas Waldrom bagged the next from close-range, after Francois van Wyk had seen yellow, Saints scored a consolation through Cobus Reinach.