NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 9

WORCESTER WARRIORS 10

Guinness Premiership Round 12

Franklin's Gardens

Monday, January 1, 2007

With the opposing sides lying 11th and 12th in the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP table at the outset it was obvious that the result was going to matter more than any scintillating play and the tension repeatedly threatened to spill over in the opening exchanges.

This was most obvious when Paul Tupai and Tim Collier introduced themselves following the former's near charge-down of a Shane Drahm kick. There was also hard but clean play with Mark Robinson's massive tackle on Marcel Garvey in midfield that stopped the Worcester winger dead in his tracks at full pace - and would ultimately lead to Garvey's being replaced before the half was out.

Saints also had the best scoring opportunities but Carlos Spencer missed a fourth-minute penalty and a powerful driving maul was pulled down a couple of metres shy of the Worcester line.

Spencer's second penalty shot was further out, but he showed that range and radar was no problem by banging it straight between the sticks. James Brown attempted a drop-goal immediately afterwards that sailed wide, unlike Drahm's 18th-minute penalty which ensured that the scores were tied at the end of the first quarter.

Saints then had another try-scoring opportunity when first Spencer, then centres Seamus Mallon and Robbie Kydd and finally Ben Cohen took the ball to within sight of the Warriors' whitewash. A penalty was conceded from which the hosts opted to build pressure through a scrum.

Several re-sets later however it was Saints who conceded a penalty from which Drahm cleared to his own 22. But Worcester could not hold onto their lineout and conceded another penalty. This time the shot at goal was taken from which Spencer once more gave Saints the lead 6-3.

The advantage could have been bigger following Sean Lamont's massive tackle on Thinus Delport. The Saints pack marched the scrum well into Worcester's red zone and eventually won a penalty. But Spencer missed and the score remained as it was until half-time.

Worcester suffered a blow early in the second half with the sinbinning of Aisea Havili. With another penalty five metres out and a scrum on the up it was no surprise when captain Steve Thompson again opted for the set-piece. Again it motored towards the line and Mark Robinson grounded the ball. But there was a knock-on spied by the officials and by Havili's return the visitors had not conceded any points.

Indeed, the Tongan winger's comeback also coincided with his side's most potent attacking move of the game thus far, ending with Drew Hickey's try which Drahm converted. Spencer replied immediately with his third three-pointer and the score going into the final quarter was a nerve-shredding Saints 9, Worcester 10.

With 10 minutes left the scoreline was the same, thanks to some incredible Saints defence that kept Dale Rasmussen out and some determined Warriors rearguard action which repelled repeated forward thrusts around the fringes. This latter inability to capitalise on position was compounded seven minutes from time by Spencer's third miss and a turnover in midfield during a succession of rucks.

There was time for one more Saints attack. But with 80 metres to make and two minutes to play the ask was just too much. Worcester's discipline held out and with the clock down to five seconds another turnover - appropriately enough - at the breakdown rounded off the action.

Teams:
Northampton Saints - Diggin; Lamont, Mallon, Kydd, Cohen; Spencer, Robinson (Howard 55mins); Smith, Thompson (capt), Barnard (Budgen 61mins), Gerard, Short (Lord 78mins), Tupai, Fox, Browne.

Worcester Warriors - Drahm; Havili, Rasmussen, Trueman, Garvey (Delport 31mins); Brown, R Powell (M Powell 40mins); Taumoepeau (Morris 40mins), Lutui (Fortey 65mins), Horsman, Gillies, Collier (Murphy 55mins), Quinnell (Horstmann 40mins), Sanderson (capt), Hickey.

Scorers:
Northampton Saints - Pens: Spencer (3).

Worcester Warriors - Try: Hickey; Con: Drahm; Pen: Drahm.

Yellow card:
Havili (45mins)

Travis Perkins man of the match:
Shane Drahm

Attendance:
13,423

TIMELINE:
13mins SAINTS Pen Spencer 3-0
18mins WORCS Pen Drahm 3-3
32mins SAINTS Pen Spencer 6-3
HALF-TIME SAINTS 6 WORCS 3
45mins WORCS Yellow card Havili
57mins WORCS Try Hickie Con Drahm 6-10
61mins SAINTS Pen Spencer 9-10
FULL-TIME SAINTS 9 WORCS 10