Neil De Kock

By Behind the Bench
November 25 2014

In the archetypal game of two halves, Northampton's forward dominance and clinical finish before the break set up a match-winning 22 point lead, whilst a much improved second half display from Saracens could even have yielded more than a solitary point. Although it's a terrible cliche, the tightness of the table means it could be a vital point at the end of the season. Saints returned to the summit as they became the first away side to win twice at AllianzPark. 

 Match Video

Saracens made six changes from the starting line up which drew 21-21 at Leicester a week ago, as Nick Tompkins, Ben Spencer (for his first Premiership start), Rhys Gill, Jim Hamilton, Will Fraser and Billy Vunipola came in for Marcelo Bosch, Richard Wigglesworth, Richard Barrington, Mouritz Botha, Kelly Brown and Jacques Burger. That meant Alex Goode continued at fullback, with Chris Ashton and David Strettle again on the wings, whilst Tompkins slotted in at centre alongside Chris Wyles, and Spencer partnered Charlie Hodgson at half back. In the forwards, Gill joined Jamie George and Juan Figallo in the front row, whilst Hamilton accompanied Alistair Hargreaves at lock, and a shuffle in the back row saw Jackson Wray move from 8 to 6, whilst Will Fraser played 7 and Vunipola came in at 8. 

Northampton made only two changes to the starting line up compared with the home defeat to Exeter, although there were some positional adjustments. James Wilson came in for James Collins, who went off injured in the Exeter march, whilst James Craig was added in place of Ben Nutley. That saw a backline off full back Ben Foden, Wilson and Jamie Elliott on the wings, with Tom Stephenson and Luther Burrell partnered in the centres, Stephen Myler at fly half and Lee Dickson at scrum half. The front row consisted of loosehead prop Alex Waller, hooker Mike Heywood and tighthead Salesi Ma’afu, whilst Craig combined with Christian Day at lock. Captain Phil Dowson played at flanker with Calum Clark at 6 and Samu Manoa at 8.

It took just two minutes for Northampton to go in front. Stephen Myler's pass found Luther Burrell running an excellent support line, and he slipped a pass for James Wilson to score in the left hand corner. Given the wettest conditions I can remember at AllianzPark, a series of early kicks was perhaps unsurprising, although Northampton showed their intent by running the first of several scrum penalties they won. Saracens got on the scoresheet on seven minutes through one such kick from Charlie Hodgson, as when the ball was kicked through again, it caused havoc in the Saints defence, who conceded a penalty for offside, and Hodgson made it 3-7. However, within three minutes, the visitors extended their lead, as Saracens were penalised for not rolling away after Northampton went through the phases on the edge of the 22. The scrum continued to be a source of penalties for the visitors, but it was a fine piece of craft which gave them their second try. Lee Dickson collected a pass, again on the fringe of the 22, and rather than passing again, weaved away to his left and put through an inch-perfect kick for Wilson to score his second in the left hand corner again. Northampton continued to press forward, with assured handling despite the conditions, and a vital choke tackle by Saracens kept the visitors out. However, Sarries found themselves going backwards over their own try line from the consequent scrum, and found themselves 22-3 down with 22 minutes played, Phil Dowson dotting down and Myler missing the conversion.

At this stage, Saracens had hardly any of the territory or possession, and what they had they were kicking away. They finally gained some territory on the 26^th minute when Burrell’s kick was charged down, Hodgson found touch, but the hosts were then penalised in the following play for holding on. Saints’ upper hand in the scrum showed no signs of abating at this stage, and Myler capitalised with another three points just after the half hour, whilst the fly half’s kicking game was keeping Sarries pinned back as well. After Myler missed another kick, the home side put together some sustained pressure as the half drew to a close, initially Northampton being penalised for holding on and then for further offences in the rolling maul. Deep inside the Saints’ 22, Jamie George’s short lineout was taken by Billy Vunipola and finished wide on the left by Jackson Wray. A missed conversion made it 25-8 to Northampton at the break.

At the break, James Johnston came on for Juan Figallo at tighthead prop, and though the visitors won a scrum penalty almost from the kick-off, it proved to be a misleading indication of how the second half went, as Saracens dominated, and collected 16 points to the visitors’ six. The first three of those points came from Hodgson after 48 minutes, as Saints conceded the penalty when Vunipola latched onto a free-kick from a scrum. Although Saracens fumbled the kick off, they did enough to keep Northampton out. The hosts had had a reshuffle on 52 minutes, as Ben Ransom came on for David Strettle, Rhys Gill was swapped for Richard Barrington and Wray made way for Ernst Joubert. It took until the 57^th minute for the visitors to have any sustained pressure, winning a penalty 40 metres out, after an offence in the scrum, to make it 28-11. With a 17 point advantage to overturn, in 17 minutes, the stage was set for the possibility of a dramatic comeback as Alex Waller was sinbinned for the visitors, as the pressure on the Saints’ line became incessant. It finally told as Chris Wyles collected a long pass from Ben Spencer to score in the left hand corner, but Hodgson clipped the post with his conversion attempt as the score remaining 28-16.

The third home try also arrived when the visitors were down to 14 men, as a clearance from the Saints failed to find touch, and Goode ran it back into the heart of the visitors territory, as Saracens put together a flowing move, with Hodgson at the heart of it, and play spread to Wyles to collect his second try of the afternoon tight on the left, this being awarded after deliberation with TMO Graham Hughes (remember him?). But again, Hodgson couldn’t land the conversion, though what was now a seven point lead still looked precarious for Northampton with still some ten minutes to play. In practice, the destination of the win was settled by two events on the 75 minute mark. A close penalty call in the scrum which could have gone Saracens’ way instead went to the Saints, allowing Myler to make it 31-21, although the home side responded immediately with a powerful run from Vunipola, but his offload wasn’t collected and Northampton survived. However, an unusual combination almost conjured up a try bonus point as Goode set George away along the right hand channel, only for the hooker to be hauled into touch by Samu Manoa. Instead, a late infringement gave Hodgson the chance to earn the losing bonus point from the right hand touchline, which he did comfortably. 

So, another chapter in the Saracens vs Saints story. Sarries will be pleased that they were able to stem the flow after a first half which seemed ominous at times, and gradually move into a position where a comeback victory appeared a distinct possibility until the last few minutes.

Saracens

Goode; Ashton, Tompkins, Wyles, Strettle (Ransom 52); Hodgson, Spencer (De Kock 70); Gill (Barrington 54), George, Figallo (Johnston 41), Hamilton, Hargreaves, Wray (Joubert 52), Fraser (Burger 63), Vunipola

Replacements not used: Sharman, Itoje

Northampton Saints

Foden; Elliott, Stephenson, Burrell ( Waldouck 77), Wilson; Myler, Dickson; A Waller (E Waller 77), Haywood (McMillan 77), Ma'afu (Denman 67); Craig (Nutley 73), Day; Clark, Dowson (capt), Manoa

Replacements not used: Harrison; Hodgson; Packman