Northampton Saints end 11-year wait for victory at Welford Road
This was a simply catastrophic loss for Leicester Tigers, not just for their play-off ambitions, not just for failing to win a game they dominated but, most importantly, for the raw pain of a home derby defeat to Northampton.
Quite how Northampton secured the 27-21 victory - their first win at Welford Road in 11 years after conceding 48 unanswered second-half points against Saracens last week and without a battalion of first teamers will take some digesting. Coming into the game off the back of five straight defeats, they rediscovered the pride we assumed had been lost a long time ago.
The ex-Tiger Jamie Gibson did a number on the Leicester line-out, Teimana Harrison wreaked havoc at the breakdown while scrum-half Cobus Reinach orchestrated Northampton’s attacking forays. Yet more than anything it was a victory based on their collective will to get one over on the Tigers, particularly after losing captain Rob Horne to a worrying head injury inside 12 seconds.
That was encapsulated with five minutes to go when Ehren Painter, a replacement 19-year-old prop making just his second appearance, won a turnover penalty on his own try line. Even then it looked as if all that effort had been for nothing as Jonah Holmes latched on to George Ford’s pass to go under the posts. However, television match official, Sean Davey, ruled that George Worth blocked Northampton centre Piers Francis from making the tackle. The Tigers joy was suddenly replaced by pockets of even more raucous Northampton celebrations.
Asked to explain the turnaround of shipping 60 points at home to beating their bitterest rivals on their own patch, Northampton interim head coach Alan Dickens was at a loss for words. “Can you? Because I don’t know.” Dickens said. “Attitudes were questioned last week from outside the club. it is tough for players when you are leaving and not sure where you are going for your next job. We had players who played today who haven’t got a contract, so I thought it just shows what you can do when you pull together.”
Yet Northampton’s indefatigable attitude was only part of the equation. The other half rests on Leicester’s failings as they drop to fifth place. The precision that underpinned five straight wins evaporated in the din of the derby. Leicester committed 26 turnovers, many of them in prime attacking positions. The line-out was a disaster area with hooker Tom Youngs completely out of his sync with his jumpers. As brilliant as Painter’s jackaling work was, it came as a result of the Tigers bombing a three-on-one with Matt Toomua, usually the most luscious of passers, the guilty party.
Matt O’Connor, the Leicester head coach, acknowledged his side’s failings, but also felt that Davey was incorrect to rule out Holmes’ try. “We fought until the very end but there were a couple of big moments that we did not execute on and if you don’t do that in the Premiership you lose,” O’Connor said. “The [Holmes] try was probably as brutal as the three on one. It is never an obstruction. Luther Burrell pushes out of the line and it is Burrell’s tackle. It happens 20 times a game.”
Horne was knocked out colliding with Sione Kalamafoni from the first kick-off. Play was delayed for ten minutes as the Australian centre was taken straight to hospital. Northampton last night confirmed that he was sitting and talking. After weathering pressure, Northampton struck first through Ben Foden, who skipped past Telusa Veainu, in the corner. Stephen Myler converted and struck a penalty soon after.
Veainu made amends for his that missed tackle by bringing the home side back into the game after Mike Fitzgerald and Ellis Genge combined to puncture the Northampton defensive line. At this point, Leicester were dominant and had their second try on 29 minutes. Second row Graham Kitchener charged down Reinach’s box kick and Toomua capitalised to touch down and put Leicester in the lead.
That advantage was soon wiped out thanks to a cleverly executed line-out move. Just as Northampton were shaping to get a maul on, Harrison broke away and gave a delicious inside ball to Reinach who went over untouched. The first half eventually came to a close after 57 minutes due to all the injuries.
Soon after the break, Northampton landed what proved to be the killer blow. Reinach was the instigator after breaking past opposite number Sam Harrison’s attempted tackle before feeding Ahsee Tuala who turned Ford inside out with his footwork before tabbing down. Ford chipped away at Northampton’s advantage with three penalties, but Myler’s 69th-minute penalty kept Leicester at arm’s length.
For Leicester, destiny remains in their own hands with fixtures against fourth-place Newcastle and sixth-place Sale to come, but the pain of this defeat will linger into next season.
Victory for Myler in his final derby for Saints
"The level of our performance has not been questioned by anyone more than ourselves."
Stephen Myler expressed his pride in the Saints' responce after last week, as Jamie Gibson scoops the man of the match award �� pic.twitter.com/TCcaffueoY— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) 14 April 2018
Northampton coach Alan Dickens on the response after losing to Saracens
"We've seen today that we have attitude in abundance."
Jamie Gibson named Man of the Match
"It's been a tough week. We knew we had the derby ahead of us and Stevie [Myler] is the only person to win here before. When you come together as a group in adversity you can cause problems for other teams."
FULL-TIME: Leicester 21-27 Northampton
Ferocious turnover by Craig and Saints! They can smell a Welford Road win now, after being thrashed by Saracens last week.
30 seconds left, Northampton winding it down. Ten seconds. One more ruck. Time's up, Myler lashes it into the crowd and Saints' wait for a win at Welford Road is over!
78 mins - Leicester 21-27 Northampton
Ford kicks to touch at halfway after a Northampton penalty. It's going to the wire folks.
78 mins - Leicester 21-27 Northampton
High kick by Saints, North appears to knock on but it's missed by the officials! A Saints scrum instead... ah wait, the TMO has spotted it and reversed the scrum to Leicester's.
Not lacking drama, is it?
Possible Leicester try!
Tigers maul on the move. Youngs looks left and Holmes skirts his way around under the posts to score! Or has he? Possible obstruction, officials taking a look.
Not given! You can spot the hold here. Saints penalty and they can clear.
74 mins - Leicester 21-27 Northampton
Painter by the way, in only his second outing this season, has been sensational since coming on. Knocked on though by Saints to give Leicester a scrum... and a penalty! Oh boy this is going to be a ripper of a finish.
74 mins - Leicester 21-27 Northampton
Leicester on the up. Veainu with a great break. Three-on-one out to the right and they butcher it! What a wasted chance, Kalamafoni with the pass, as Northampton get a penalty and clear.
PENALTY FORD! Leicester 21-27 Northampton
Penalty Leicester inside Saints' 22. Posts or corner? They kick for goal and Ford makes no mistake. That takes him over 1,000 Premiership points.
PENALTY MYLER! Leicester 18-27 Northampton
It's over! Northampton stretch the gap to nine points with almost ten minutes left.
68 mins - Leicester 18-24 Northampton
Huge scrum penalty - Saints are down a forward! - and Northampton can extend their lead with a straightforward penalty. Coaches love it.
66 mins - Leicester 18-24 Northampton
Genge makes a break but can't get the pass away. Saints knock-on, Leicester with the advantage as Welford Road comes alive. Big clap for Genge as he comes off as one of a number of changes by both sides. Penalty Saints who clear.
PENALTY FORD! Leicester 18-24 Northampton
Tigers clawing back (sorry) as Waller sees yellow for a high tackle. Three more points from the England number 10.
62 mins - Leicester 15-24 Northampton
Monster scrum again from Leicester who kick to the touch, but, as you can guess, the lineout goes wrong. Tigers fans not happy. Saints clear.
60 mins - Leicester 15-24 Northampton
Lineout issues still killing Tigers, this time a knock-on by Kalamafoni. Cole off, Mulipola on.
PENALTY FORD! Leicester 15-24 Northampton
Chip shot for Ford as Leicester try to close the gap.
58 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Leicester immediately get a scrum, Polota-Nau's power showing there. They kick to the corner, and Harrison is then pinged for a high tackle on Genge.
56 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Haywood off for an HIA, Clare on for Saints. And the visitors get the penalty! All that Leicester pressure for nothing. B Youngs on for Harrison and Polota-Nau on for T Youngs
53 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Cheer from the local crowd as Leicester execute the lineout at last. Another penalty! Will this be yellow? Not yet, in the side is the offence this time. Leicester banging on the door.
52 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Haywood off his feet, another Leicester penalty and back to the corner we go. That last lineout was nearly overthrown as well, been an issue all afternoon.
51 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Ma'afu pinged for collapsing a maul as Leicester go to the corner. Building momentum...
The second half picks up right where the first left off!
Ahsee Tuala with the support line after some great work by Cobus Reinach again! pic.twitter.com/9m6hkPCbVv— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) 14 April 2018
49 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Reinach gets the clearance away. Ratuniyarawa with a breakdown steal but then Northampton knock on. Leicester with a scrum in their opponent's half.
46 mins - Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Soft penalty against Foden for not releasing after being tackled. Leicester can hit back instantly... knocked on! Scrum for Saints.
Belting try by saints to make it 24-12. Good to see saints giving it heaps. Reinach having a stormer, reminding everybody he is a quality Bok
— Brendan gallagher (@gallagherbren) 14 April 2018
TRY TUALA! CONVERSION MYLER! Leicester 12-24 Northampton
Reinach's on fire. The South African scrum-half breaks through and feeds Tuala, who has the power and pace to score by the posts. Tigers rattled!
Second half underway
Eleven years since Northampton's last win at Welford Road. Is today the day?
HALF-TIME: Leicester 12-17 Northampton
And that's that for the first 40 minutes. Leicester have been so strong recently that this goes very much against the run of form. Tries by Foden and Reinach plus a Myler penalty give the Saints a slim advantage.
39 mins - Leicester 12-17 Northampton
Half-time approaching as Saints knock on in midfield. It's very quiet at Welford Road currently. Half break down the left wing from May, into the 22.
Kalamafoni however is penalised for an illegal clearout, meaning Saints will clear.
TRY REINACH! CONVERSION MYLER! Leicester 12-17 Northampton
Saints with a chance to respond as North comes back on following that cut. Off the lineout a set-piece move opens it up for Reinach to crash over! Fine score.
WHAT. A. GAME! ��
Like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out, Leicester and Northampton are going back and forth...
Cobus Reinach finishes a superb lineout move to regain Saints' lead �� pic.twitter.com/3ck1A1wwds— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) 14 April 2018
TRY TOOMUA! Leicester 12-10 Northampton
Charged down by Toomua who dots down, but the officials are taking a look to check that he's onside.
Looks as though he's onside, and then does Kitchener touch it trying to regather the ball before Toomua? The verdict's no from the TMO so the try stands! Leicester ahead. Ford misses to the right.
Boy it was close though.
27 mins - Leicester 7-10 Northampton
That's the third Leicester lineout that hasn't come off. Stolen this time by Gibson as Northampton clear. Good rush defence, by Hill this time, forces a Genge knock-on.
25 mins - Leicester 7-10 Northampton
North given a bit of a hospital pass, and despite doing well to make something out of it he gets swamped by Tigers who win a penalty.
North has a cut from a head clash with Matt Smith, so heads off for some treatment.
22 mins - Leicester 7-10 Northampton
Free-kick though to Northampton, Genge losing his bind. They'll clear.
22 mins - Leicester 7-10 Northampton
This is livening up. Leicester get May into space but his grubber is gathered by Tuala. Knock-on leads to a deep Saints scrum: Tigers will apply the pressure.
Offloads ��
Telusa Veainu puts the finishing touches on an excellent Leicester Tigers score.
Cracking game so far over on BT Sport 2 HD & 4K UHD �� pic.twitter.com/hiK6XMYpr0— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) 14 April 2018
TRY VEAINU! CONVERSION FORD! Leicester 7-10 Northampton
That didn't last long. Nice delayed pass by Ford to Fitzgerald, who puts Genge into space. He looks for the offload and finds Veainu, scoring by the posts. Well-worked score.
Ellis Genge is a monster. Cracking derby building here #LEIvNOR
— Ben Scanlan (@ben_scanlan) 14 April 2018
PENALTY MYLER! Leicester 0-10 Northampton
Easy as that. Saints go into a double-digit lead.
16 mins - Leicester 0-7 Northampton
This is no lineout masterclass. Youngs overthrows again and Northampton are on the attack in the 22. Big hit though by Harrison forces a turnover, but Youngs them comes in from the side and off his feet. Saints penalty and they'll take a shot.
13 mins - Leicester 0-7 Northampton
Saints taking charge after that rocky start. Reinach breaks down the touchline before dropping the ball around Leicester's five-metre line. He says he was going for a kick... hmm. Anyway, Leicester clear through Harrison.
TRY FODEN! CONVERSION MYLER! Leicester 0-7 Northampton
Good break and Northampton are into Leicester's 22. Can they strike? Oh yes they can! Foden flies over into the corner.
All started with Hill's burst, Northampton created the space out wide on the left and a slipped tackle allows Foden to get around the outside to finish.
8 mins - Leicester 0-0 Northampton
Toomua pinged for not releasing the attacker, allowing Saints to gratefully clear upfield. They'll start with a lineout in Leicester's half.
6 mins - Leicester 0-0 Northampton
Toomua screams through a gap. Can't find support to the right so Leicester recycle. Up through the phases, shifting Saints around. Toomua puts Thompstone down the right wing but it looks as though Tuala forces the knock-on.
5 mins - Leicester 0-0 Northampton
Overthrown by Youngs! Saints recover and clear through Reinach to touch near halfway.
4 mins - Leicester 0-0 Northampton
Early danger for Northampton as Hamilton makes a Tigers break. Saints cough up a penalty and Ford kicks into the corner.
2 mins - Leicester 0-0 Northampton
Back underway as Horne gets a big ovation. From the scrum Leicester earn a penalty and Ford clears to touch.
Ambulance coming for Horne
He'll be heading straight to the hospital. Looked as though he was speaking to the medics, but obviously still massive concern as the game gets a long delay. Northampton hit hard by injuries already before now losing a key player in Horne. Foden takes over the captaincy.
Only 13 seconds on the clock as you can see when Horne went down.
Kick-off!
Matthew Carley the man on the whistle today, and we're off. Myler gets us going and immediately a player has been knocked out. That's a worry. Horne getting treatment immediately after colliding with Kalamafoni's knee. Burrell on.
History not on Northampton's side
The Saints go marching in at Welford Road. No win here since February, 2007. Today would be a good time to end that run and pretty much secure Premiership safety.
— Tom Vickers (@WheresTommyV) 14 April 2018
You won't miss Northampton
Luminous green today. Pretty sure we ranked that as the league's worst kit for the season.
Boost for the Leicester bench
No return for Manu Tuilagi but there is a first appearance for Ben Youngs since his injury at the start of the Six Nations.
Saints heading back into the sheds
�� Come on, lads!! pic.twitter.com/gErx81OwBQ
— Northampton Saints (@SaintsRugby) 14 April 2018
This looks far too friendly for a derby
We'll see if they stay as happy in each other's company by the end.
George Ford interview
The England fly-half sat down with us this week to discuss Leicester's turnaround and England's Six Nations issues.
“[Leicester] tend to play better when there are must-win games. We have a mindset to go out there and perform, and we almost thrive on that a little bit."
Welcome
Afternoon everybody - is spring finally here at last? Welford Road looks a picture ahead of today's Aviva Premiership derby between Leicester and Northampton.
When the two met at the start of the season, Saints were coming off a thumping by Saracens. And now ahead of this fixture, Saints are coming off a thumping by Saracens.
The first outing went Northampton's way, somewhat surprisingly, but it's been a rough campaign for Northampton with Jim Mallinder's exit and the club waiting to refresh next season under Chris Boyd.
Leicester meanwhile have reversed their mid-season slump to win their last five in the Premiership, putting them in the table before the start of the weekend's fixtures.