WORCESTER WARRIORS  7

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS  22

Saturday, October 1, 2005

Sixways

Powergen Cup round one

Saints opened their first game in this season’s new-look Powergen Cup with a first quarter try from Cohen, dropped from the England squad this week. Saints dominated play in the first 20 minutes and remained steadfast in Worcester’s territory. As a result, the home side rarely got hold of the ball, so it was unsurprising when Cohen went over following a dart through Worcester’s defence by centre David Quinlan, an off-load to Carlos Spencer and a pass from No 8 Mark Soden. Captain Bruce Reihana converted the try to make it 0-7 after nine minutes.

Reihana missed a penalty three minutes later but Saints did not take their collective foot off the gas, helped by a number of lineout steals from Dan Richmond, Damien Browne and Selborne Boome. Scrum-half Mark Robinson made some fast yards from one such steal but his pass to the wing did not quite find Sean Lamont.

Worcester lost No 8 Drew Hickey at the end of the first quarter to injury but then Saints also lost prop Colin Noon, playing in his first top flight game since his six-month ban ended on Monday. However, the disappointing sight of Noon being helped off the field was followed by the heart-warming vision of Browne stealing another Worcester lineout and Lamont heading up-field to release Cohen for his second try. The score remained at 0-12, after Reihana missed a conversion from the touchline, until half-time.

Saints dominated the same amount of ball and territory in the third quarter and were rewarded with a penalty from Reihana in the 45th minute. However, there were better rewards around the corner. New signing flanker Sam Harding replaced Darren Fox in the 50th minute and scored Saints’ third try with his first touch of the ball following a break from centre Jon Clarke. A dream start indeed for a man who has played very little rugby for the Canterbury Crusaders in recent weeks.

Worcester came back though and began to build some real pressure in Saints’ 22. Their endeavours were aided when Soden was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle and they made that extra man count in their scrums and mauls. Full-back Nicolas Le Roux went under the posts first but was called back for a knock-on. But Sione Tuamoheloa was more successful in the 65th minute. A Shane Drahm conversion made the scores 7-22.

The game was then halted when hooker Andre van Niekerk had to be stretchered off the field, applauded by both teams. Centre Dale Rasmusen had to helped off the field too as the game came to a close, as Worcester tried to notch up more points and Saints looked for that fourth try.

Neither teams’ efforts came to anything and the game remained at 7-22 with Cohen declared as the Powergen Man of the Match.

Teams:
Northampton Saints – Reihana (capt); Lamont, Clarke, Quinlan (Davies 66mins), Cohen; Spencer, Robinson (Howard 56mins); Smith, Richmond, Noon (Budgen 25mins), Boome, Damien Browne (Lord 66mins), Thompson (Mallon 81mins), Fox (Harding 50mins), Soden.

Worcester Warriors – Le Roux; Hylton, Rasmussen (Whatling 80mins), Trueman (Lombard 66mins), Tucker; Drahm, Powell (Gomarsall 66mins); Windo, van Niekerk (Clunis 70mins), Taumoepeau, Collier (Murphy 50mins), Gillies, Horstmann, Sanderson (capt), Hickey (Tuamoheloa 20mins).

Referee:
Martin Fox

Scorers:
Northampton Saints – Tries: Cohen (2), Harding; Cons: Reihana (2): Pen: Reihana

Worcester Warriors – Try: Taumoheloa; Con: Drahm.

Attendance: 7,561

Time Worcester   Score Northampton
08    0-5 Cohen try
09    0-7 Reihana con
12    0-7 Reihana pen miss
27    0-12 Cohen try
28    0-12 Reihana con miss
HT    0-12
45    0-12 Reihana pen miss
50    0-15 Reihana pen
51    0-20 Haring try
52    0-22 Reihana con
62    0-22 Soden yellow card
65  Tuamoheloa try 5-22
66 Drahm con  7-22
68    7-22 Reihana pen miss