NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 44

 

LONDON WELSH 11

 

National League One Round 1

 

Franklin’s Gardens

 

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

 

The final score was exactly what everyone at Franklin’s Gardens wanted but Saints were made to work hard by London Welsh for every point.

 

Though the first quarter would ultimately belong to the men in black, green and gold the first scoring shot went to the Welsh. Sam Ulph’s metronomic boot would have been identified as a danger before the match, but his 52-metre effort slid agonisingly wide.

 

It took only a further three minutes for the first try of the season, scored by Bruce Reihana. The try was between the sticks, which made for a straightforward conversion for Barry Everitt, and was begun by a great Paul Diggin break.

 

Everitt’s second conversion attempt in the 22nd minute was a little harder, being from the touchline, but Saints’ second try was a total team effort. Though the lineouts from both sides initially were scrappy at best, a clean catch by Alex Rae set up a controlled drive. A couple of phases later Saints had an overlap 30 metres out which Spencer arced into and passed to Reihana to score in the corner. Everitt hit the post but Saints were still leading 12-0.

 

The intervening quarter hour had seen Saints suffer a setback with an injury to Mark Robinson and the first test of the home defence came on the half-hour. Ulph’s kick ahead necessitated a rushed clearance from Reihana and a Welsh lineout on the Saints 22. Rob Jewell’s break brushed aside too many players for a Northampton liking and Welsh set up camp on the line. But with the rearguard solid an Ulph penalty had to do.

 

There was nothing Saints could do about Welsh’s next score two minutes later. Gareth Morgan’s cross kick took a wicked bounce which completely wrong-footed Will Harries. Paul Sampson was flying up the wing however and collected to race into the corner. Ulph missed the conversion but the visitors had given themselves hope thanks to a four-point deficit and half-time rapidly approaching.

 

Darren Fox’s break and Everitt’s subsequent penalty settled the nerves but with Nicholls’s collection of the kick-off and Morgan’s calm drop-goal the margin was still four at the break.

 

Enthused by the scoreline Welsh emerged the strongest and after another Sampson break Saints were sighing with relief when Morgan knocked on 15 metres out. And when Reihana’s fumble presented Welsh with a chance only ended by Greg Evans’s pass into touch tension was building at the Gardens.

 

Diggin and Reihana tried to turn the balance of the play back in Saints’ favour but the fluency was failing to materialise. A second Everitt penalty steadied the ship and the control Saints were seeking came following the kick-off.

 

A clean catch became a 20-metre driving maul which became several worked phases. The line rapidly came into view and with a barrelling drive Damien Browne touched down for Saints’ third try. This too was by the sticks and Everitt’s conversion took the hosts out to a 14-point lead.

 

The forwards secured the bonus point as well. Director of rugby Jim Mallinder had handed Chris Ashton his debut. But it was another of a trio or replacements, Christian Short, who caught the lineout from which Paul Tupai drove over. Another catch and drive secured the fifth try for Simon Emms but Ashton stole the show with the sixth and final try.

 

A clever kick-off had been recovered by Welsh. But the move broke down, the ball went loose and was hacked ahead. Ashton burnt off half-a-dozen defenders, kicked ahead and touched down with his first touch of the ball. Reihana added the conversion and Saints had the result they wanted.

 

Teams:
Northampton Saints – Reihana (capt); Diggin, Spencer, Downey, Harries (Ashton 70mins); Everitt (70mins), Robinson (Howard 16mins); Emms, Ward (Gray 72mins), Stewart (Sigley 72mins), Browne (Short 70mins), Rae, Rudzki, Fox (Tupai 62mins), Easter.

 

London Welsh – Ulph; Strong, Evans, Jewell, Sampson; Morgan (Marks 75mins), Nicholls (capt); George, Tauialo (McNamee 57mins), Gay (Hannon 28mins (Williams 53mins)), Quigley (Thomas 53mins), Corker, Cox, Lee, Jenkins.

 

Scorers:
Northampton Saints – Tries: Reihana (2), Browne, Tupai, Emms, Ashton; Cons: Everitt (2), Reihana (2); Pens: Everitt (2).

 

London Welsh – Try: Sampson; Pen: Ulph; Drop-goal: Morgan.

 

Yellow card:
Thomas (62mins)

Attendance:
11,507

 

TIMELINE:
8mins SAINTS Try Reihana Con Everitt 7-0
22mins SAINTS Try Reihana 12-0
32mins WELSH Pen Ulph 12-3
34mins WELSH Try Sampson 12-8
40+1mins SAINTS Pen Everitt 15-8
40+2mins WELSH Drop-goal Morgan 15-11
HALF-TIME SAINTS 15 WELSH 11
55mins SAINTS Pen Everitt 18-11
59mins SAINTS Try Browne Con Everitt 25-11
62mins WELSH Yellow card Thomas (pulling down maul)
72mins SAINTS Try Tupai Con Reihana 32-11
78mins SAINTS Try Emms 37-11
82mins SAINTS Try Ashton Con Reihana 44-11
FULL-TIME SAINTS 44 WELSH 11