NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 96
SEDGLEY TIGERS  3

National Division One

PARK expected a tough time at Franklin’s Gardens, but the quality of opposition they encountered, assisted by a lack of composure and cool on their own part, condemned them to their heaviest ever defeat.

Yet for the opening two minutes things looked good. The Tigers kicked off then won lineout and scrum ball, followed by both centre Luther Burrell and prop Petrus Du Plessis driving strongly into contact.

Their efforts were rewarded with a penalty kick 20 metres from the home posts which Phil Jones duly despatched. Unfortunately that was the last the Tigers were to see of the Saints’ try line.

Facing a 22-man squad laced with past, present and future internationals – including former All Blacks Bruce Reihana, Mark Robinson and Carlos Spencer; Tom Smith (former Scotland and British Lions prop); Dylan Hartley (England Saxons); John Clarke (England A); Paul Diggin, Phil Hoy and Mark Hopley (England U21s); Neil Starling (England Sevens); Soane Tonga’uiha (Tonga); Paul Tupai (Samoa) and the prodigious talents of former rugby league starlets Chris Ashton and Stephen Myler –  it is not surprising Saints grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, especially with 11,205 vocal supporters roaring them on.

Former Wigan Warrior Ashton started the Northampton ‘comeback’, chipping the Tigers’ midfield before regathering the bouncing ball and racing to the posts.

Four minutes later Spencer sliced through the Tigers’ midfield, drew the markers and then threw a looping pass out to Reihana, who went over on the left.

Superb inter-passing down the left flank put Diggin in for his first before an interception was rounded off by Spencer going over in the corner to claim the four-try bonus point on 20 minutes

Park continued to try to play rugby, with Chris Briers, Chris Hall, Andy Craig, Burrell and Jon Skurr looking for space, but there wasn’t any; although at one point Jones was tackled five metres short of the Saints’ line.

When the ball carriers did find space, all too often they found themselves isolated due to a lack of support. Jones and Nutt attempted probing touch-funding kicks, but to no avail.

Consequently the Tigers coughed up far too much turnover ball, handing the initiative back to the Saints, who didn’t exactly need it.

Displaying fluidity and rhythm, along with power, pace and poise to a man, they appeared able to score almost at will.

Another interception on the stroke of half-time benefited Ashton and he went all the way to the Tigers’ line.

Reihana then rounded of Saints’ first-half master class with his second try before adding the conversion – kicking six out of six – as the home side went into the break with an unassailable 42-3 lead.

Any hopes the Tigers harboured of making any kind of comeback in the second half were dashed, as the champions-elect ran in another eight touchdowns to leave the Tigers shell-shocked.

Two minutes after the restart a drive down centre field off a tapped penalty was rounded off by lock Christian Short, who dived over between the posts from short range.

Three minutes later centre Starling burst onto a pass, sliced through the Tigers’ defensive line and crossed by the posts.

Reihana then slipped a pass inside to Ashton and he went over again before the Tigers earned themselves a breather with some determined work from Skurr in particular.

But a quick tap penalty by Diggin on the hour saw him go over to renew the onslaught, followed six minutes later by another at the corner flag.

He ran in three more, along with another from Ashton to complete an impressive rout, although the Tigers did not stop and carried on trying manfully until the final whistle.

Reihana put in an awesome performance with the boot, missing just one of fourteen conversions to show his and his side’s class and highlight the gulf between full-time professionals and plucky part-timers. As if the Tigers needed reminding!

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Reihana, Ashton, Starling, Downey, Diggin, Spencer (Myler 50), Robinson (Howard 55), Tonga’uiha, Hartley (Gray 46), Budgen, Short, Hoy, Easter, Fox, Hopley (Tupai 61).
Replacements not used: Smith, Lord and Clarke.
Tries: Diggin (5), Ashton (4), Reihana (2), Starling, Spencer and Short.
Conversions: Reihana 13 (from 14).

SEDGLEY PARK: Nutt (Riley 55), Hall (Van DeVenter 61), Craig, Burrell, Briers, Jones, J. Albinson, Gazzola (A. Livesey 66), Roddam (Keys 48), Du Plessis (Birchall 69), Norris (Townson 48), Crous (Fourie 56), Newton, Ponton, Skurr.
Penalty: Jones 1.