Grayson puts Saints in box seat for play-offs
JAMES Grayson’s 77th minute penalty secured victory to put Saints in with a great chance of making the Premiership play-offs.
If any game was to be a perfect advert for the Premiership it would be this one as spectators were treated to eight tries in what was a truly bonkers game of rugby.
Saints led 26-17 at halftime but Quins rallied with tries from Alex Dombrandt and Caden Murley to snatch the lead. When the visitors were penalised just inside their own half late on, Grayson took his shot and stole the win.
Northampton director of rugby Chris Boyd said: “Because of the injuries, we weren’t able to give any relief to our forwards, who were running on empty in the second half.
“It was a gutsy effort from the whole team, especially the pack to hang in there and secure the territory to win a couple of penalties at the death.
“Since our win against Wasps, we’ve been playing knockout rugby each week and the group seem to be enjoying it. We have been chugging along without a really good performance, but to defeat a strong Harlequins side is particularly satisfactory.”
Northampton’s dominant start was rewarded as Tommy Freeman crossed for the first try after clever hands by the Saints backline. The champions responded two minutes later as Andre Esterhuizen went under the posts after the visitors capitalised on a penalty advantage.
Saints broke down the left as Api Ratuniyarawa cleverly offloaded to Alex Mitchell, who looked on course to score in the corner, but his opposite number Danny Care – on his 250th club appearance – used the touchline well and produced a try saving tackle.
Northampton endured a difficult start in their pack as both Juarno Augustus and Conor Carey went off
injured inside the opening 10 minutes. But it didn’t halt their attacking flair as captain Lewis Ludlum went over after quick hands out wide.
Quins responded with a Marcus Smith penalty from in front of the posts.
Saints looked to have struck back when Grayson, playing with a penalty advantage, cross kicked to Matt Proctor who had all the time in the world to touch the ball down but the New Zealander slipped and missed the ball.
Saints’ injuries in the forwards continued as substitute prop Paul Hill was forced off with a concussion after friendly fire from a Courtney Lawes elbow, and referee Matthew Carley ruled for uncontested scrums.
George Furbank scored Saints third try from close range but again Quins hit back as Smith’s chip picked out Joe Marchant who produced a sensational no look pass to Huw Jones who went over.
Northampton secured their bonus point inside 36 minutes as Alex Waller scored from a pick and go.
Harlequins started the second period better and Dombrandt ran a great line to power over and make it a two-point game. Murley then gave them lead showing why he could be a bolter for England’s tour of Australia this summer with a fine finish in the corner.
Saints responded with a Grayson penalty before Santiago Garcia Botta was yellow carded for a shoulder to the head, resulting in a chorus of boos from the home crowd that it wasn’t a red.
Minutes later, Quins were penalised for being off their feet and Grayson stepped up to score the winner from 40 metres.
Care then broke Gareth Archer’s record for cards in a season as he was given his sixth yellow card of the campaign for dissent in the dying seconds. then you don’t get the result.”
Matson added: “Winning wasn’t to be as it was a tough penalty call by the referee, but our boys were slow into the breakdown and we will have to review that.
“The defeat means we haven’t got a ‘Q’ next to our name for qualification for the play-offs, so we will do our best to secure that next week against Gloucester, but we’ll have to improve dramatically if we are to retain our title.”