The Northampton Saints managed to come away with a 32 - 26 win over the Leicester Tigers on the weekend, but it was anything but an easy victory.
Northampton Saints vs Leicester Tigers match report
It was the Tigers that opened the scoreboard, as Billy Searle’s penalty kick in the first minute allowed them an initial lead, before the Saints knuckled down to establish a strong winning margin.
The first half was slow to get going, with referee Luke Pearce having to be replaced within the first ten minutes after suffering calf cramp, and Saint’s George Hendy following suit not long after.
This match heralded the return of British and Irish Lions Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman back to the folds of the Saints, something even more significant as Freeman earnt the prestigious centurion title with his 100th appearance.
Freeman demonstrate his excellence on the pitch, moving effortlessly from the win to fullback after Hendy limped.
This match also saw the debut appearances of French Anthony Belleau and Italian Edoardo Todaro for the Saints, who were able to demonstrate their European excellence, making real impact on the pitch.
Despite being 17 - 13 down at half time, the Leicester Tigers kicked into a new gear in the second half, as their successive rolling mauls deep into the Saints territory allowed them to regain the lead.
The intensity only increased as the clock ticked closer to the 80 minute mark, as Saints claimed more points, before Leicester’s Harry Wells once more established their dominance, driving over the whitewash after a series of penalties to the corner.
International influence on the pitch
Belleau demonstrate the calibre of French rugby to return the Saints’ lead with an inspired try, as he chipped the ball effortlessly over advancing defenders before crossing the line. Smith’s subsequent conversion finally took the Saints into a lead of more than seven points, cementing their victory.
However, it was James O’Connor, making his Tigers debut, that was the last to add to the scoreboard, as the Wallaby veteran launched over the line in the last moments of an utterly absorbing, nail-biting game.
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