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Northampton remain on course for play-offs after unplugging Bath lead

By PA
Will Muir (r) of Bath looks dejected after his sides defeat alongside Ben Spencer (#9) and Joe Simpson (2l) during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Bath Rugby and Northampton Saints at The Recreation Ground on April 23, 2022 in Bath, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Northampton stayed on course for the Gallagher Premiership play-offs after staging a remarkable second-half fightback to beat Bath 36-31.

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Saints, who trailed 31-12 with 20 minutes to go, moved into fourth place as they somehow conjured a bonus-point win at the Recreation Ground without their suspended Wales captain Dan Biggar and injured England skipper Courtney Lawes.

Tries from Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman, plus a 76th-minute penalty try, hauled them level before substitute hooker Mike Haywood touched down in the final act of a gripping game.

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Bath finished the game down to 12 men after all the replacements had been used, as Josh Bayliss went off injured and Jaco Coetzee, then Semesa Rokoduguni were yellow-carded during the closing seconds.

Scrum-half Ben Spencer’s try double, plus touchdowns from centre Max Clark and wing Will Muir, looked to have been enough to send Saints packing, while Spencer and his half-back partner Danny Cipriani each kicked two conversions, and Cipriani added a penalty.

But Northampton, who saw substitute back-row forward Brandon Nanson carried off following a lengthy second-half stoppage, ultimately moved fourth above Exeter and Gloucester.

Centre Matt Proctor and number eight Juarno Augustus scored earlier Northampton tries as they claimed a first Premiership away win against Bath since 2015, ending a run of six successive defeats.

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There were a few anxious moments for Bath as Saints rallied late in the game, and then Northampton upped the pressure and their hosts could not respond.

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Bath showed four changes from the side knocked out of European Challenge Cup contention by Edinburgh last weekend, with Cipriani, Muir, lock Mike Williams and flanker Miles Reid all returning.

Biggar’s suspension, meanwhile, meant that George Furbank moved to fly-half for Saints, with Freeman at full-back and Ollie Sleightholme on the wing. Teimana Harrison replaced Lawes, and lock Alex Coles also started.

Bath made the early running, and it took some frantic Northampton defending to deny Clark a try following his midfield partner Jonathan Joseph’s well-placed kick.

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Saints, though, responded by setting up camp inside Bath’s 22, and they took the lead following a number of close-range charges that Bath managed to repel.

But there was no stopping the visitors when they worked possession wide, and scrum-half Mitchell’s pass sent Proctor over for a 17th-minute try that Furbank converted.

Bath then hit back early in the second quarter, and this time the Joseph-Clark combination conjured a try as Clark gathered possession following his midfield partner’s kick and crossed unopposed.

Cipriani converted to put Bath level, and after Furbank missed a straightforward penalty chance, Bath struck again.

Saints completed some outstanding last-ditch tackles, but they ran out of defensive numbers, and Cipriani’s short pass gave Muir a simple run-in, with the fly-half’s conversion making it 14-7.

Northampton were their own worst enemies at times, kicking poorly or guilty of wrong options, and Cipriani opened up a 10-point interval advantage when he kicked a 20-metre penalty.

Saints needed a response, and it arrived just five minutes into the second period when Augustus crashed over from close range, but Furbank was unable to convert.

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And it proved short-lived hope for the visitors as Bath stung with them with two quickfire tries both scored by Spencer.

He darted around the blindside of a lineout for his first, the finished off following an opportunist break, and he brilliantly converted both tries in the face of a gusting breeze as Bath moved past 30 points.

Mitchell gave Saints a glimmer of hope when he darted over for a try 15 minutes from time, then Freeman crossed shortly afterwards to set up a rousing finish, and Northampton squeezed over the finishing line amid dramatic scenes.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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