NORTHAMPTON SAINTS  32

NARBONNE  20

European Challenge Cup round three

Franklin’s Gardens

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Carlos Spencer’s vision created two of his side’s four tries, but it was skipper Bruce Reihana who got Saints off to a good start, kicking a 40-metre penalty inside two minutes as the Frenchmen infringed at a ruck.

Though the home side’s class would eventually shine, Narbonne had the first try-scoring opportunity. Sean Lamont’s mazy run ended in a knock-on from which the French quickly span the ball left. And though they were 50 metres out, they should have done better from the four-to-none overlap. Fortunately, however, the defence scrambled to cover, Gregory Mahe knocked the ball on whilst attempting to continue the play, and Saints escaped.

Reihana missed his second shot at goal in the seventh minute – as did Cedric Rosalen two minutes later – and when Saints won another penalty after Rhodri Davies had stripped Dwayne Haare, general acclaim greeted Spencer’s chip to the corner. And acclaim became a full-throated cheer a couple of scrums later when Daniel Browne crossed unopposed for his first regular season Saints try. Reihana succeeded with the conversion and Saints were 10 points ahead, a score that remained to the end of the first quarter.

Some might say that Narbonne were unlucky in the 25th minute when Julien Patay had a try disallowed. Mark Robinson slipped while clearing and the ball rebounded off the chasing David Hunter to Patay. Thankfully the referee’s arm was raised for a knock-on, and, with Rosalen’s kick going straight into touch, Saints were back in the Narbonne half.

With the edge with their pack, and having held the Saints scoreless for 20 minutes, the visitors may have been thinking that they had weathered the storm. They had not accounted for the genius of Spencer however. Though slipping on the halfway line, the Aucklander still spotted the potential overlap on the blindside. A series of passes later and his imagination was rewarded by Sam Harding’s dive over between the sticks; Reihana again with the conversion.

The Frenchmen got on the scoreboard five minutes later. Unsurprisingly their try came through the pack, thanks to a lineout drive and several plunges around the fringes. Prop Arnaud Martinez crossed the whitewash, and with Rosalen’s touchline conversion Narbonne were back in contention. But the 10-point deficit was increased to 13 by the interval as Reihana ended the half as he began it, with a penalty.

Narbonne came out firing after the break and when Franck Tournaire charged into the clear 10 metres out a score looked a certainty, as it did when an overlap was worked on the left. But the Saints’ rearguard effort was dogged, and not only were Narbonne repelled, but the hosts were further ahead in the 50th minute. Reihana scored the try from Spencer’s second inside pass in quick succession – the first to Damien Browne having disrupted the defence – and converted to increase the lead to 27-7.

Narbonne may have been behind in points, but thanks to Johnny Howard’s sin-binning for backchat they were ahead in manpower. And with two Rosalen penalties in five minutes the arrears were reduced to 14 by the hour mark. But, and despite the introduction of a flurry of replacements with 10 minutes to go, that was as close as the visitors came until injury-time.

Back to a full complement Saints went looking for the bonus point. For a time however it looked a vain search, especially when Jon Clarke lost the ball while being tackled 10 metres short. But a powerful Lamont run, and a fortuitous Davies pass, allowed Howard to make amends by scoring Saints’ fourth try.

There was still time for a consolation try for the visitors, by replacement hooker Thiabult Algret in the 82nd minute. Christopher Ruiz added the extras, and though the game was long-gone, Narbonne had demonstrated that next Friday’s return visit must not be taken lightly.

Teams:
Northampton Saints – Reihana (capt); Lamont (Rudd 76mins), Clarke, Davies, Cohen; Spencer (Myring 81mins), Robinson (Howard 40mins); Budgen (Smith 40mins), Thompson (Richmond 68mins), Noon (Budgen 60mins), Damien Browne, Gerard (Beattie 75mins), Lewitt, Harding (Fox 64mins), Daniel Browne.

Narbonne – Nadau; Gauthier, Desbrosse (Benassis 79mins), Mazars, Patay; Rosalen (Ruiz 70mins), Mahe (Seron 70mins); A Martinez, Rofes (Algret 70mins), Tournaire (Hooper 47mins), Springgay (capt), Sierra, Hunter, Haare (Tomiki 40+5-41mins, 51mins), Bedes (F Martinez 70mins).

Scorers:
Northampton Saints – Tries: Daniel Browne, Harding, Reihana, Howard; Cons: Reihana (3); Pens: Reihana (2).

Narbonne – Tries: Martinez, Algret; Cons: Rosalen, Ruiz; Pens: Rosalen (2).

Yellow card:
Howard (52mins)

Travis Perkins man of the match:
Daniel Browne

Attendance:
11,572

CLOCKWATCH:
2mins Saints: Pen Reihana 3-0
13mins Saints: Try Daniel Browne Con Reihana 10-0
33mins Saints: Try Harding Con Reihana 17-0
37mins N’bonne: Try Martines Con Rosalen 17-7
40+6mins Saints: Pen Reihana 20-7
50mins Saints: Try and Con Reihana 27-7
52mins Saints: Yellow card Howard
53mins N’bonne: Pen Rosalen 27-10
58mins N’bonne: Pen Rosalen 27-13
76mins Saints: Try Howard 32-13
82mins N’bonne: Try Algret Con Ruiz 32-20