The glorious spring sunshine created soaring temperatures at ground level, but the dryness also lended itself to running rugby, and two of Aviva Premiership Rugby's more renowned teams for that style of play created plenty of scoring opportunities throughout the first half.

London Irish were first to get a shot of getting on the scoreboard when Tom Homer lined up a shot at goal from 50 metres. Homer's attempt had the legs, but not the accuracy and drifted left of the uprights. However it had shown Saints that discipline, even on the halfway line, had to be kept tight.

There were certainly plenty of questions asked of the Saints' defence as Irish continued to keep the ball in hand, but aside from one penalty conceded at a lineout the visitors remained calm, forcing the Exiles back time and again.

Eventually the pressure told, a turnover was won and when Bob Casey came over the top at a ruck Saints were awarded a penalty themselves. Like Homer's earlier effort, Stephen Myler's shot was from distance and grazed the outside of the left-hand upright to keep the contest scoreless.

The biggest contrast in the early exchanges came in the kicking game. Whereas Myler would play for the corners, opposite number Dan Bowden sent the ball high into the skies for the midfield men to chase.

One take in particular from Ben Foden was sublime given the pressure he was under, and this set up the Saints' first sight of the try line. Irish conceded a penalty, which Myler sent into the home half, and with Phil Dowson, James Downey and Paul Diggin in particular making yards the visitors got to within five metres of the whitewash.

Unfortunately the control of the ruck ball, which had been excellent to that point, failed and Irish were able to clear. But it wasn't to be long until Saints had the try they craved.

One of the maxims in rugby is that turnover ball is the best ball, and this was typified no more at the end of the first quarter when Saints stopped the hosts in their tracks to score from long range.

The Exiles had been pressing, but the defence remained tight and forced Bob Casey to spill the ball in contact. Chris Ashton sent the ball to Jon Clarke, and when the centre dummied a kick and cut inside the space was opened for the wing to race home from 60 metres. Myler's conversion was on target and with play stopped for a moment to give both teams a well deserved drink Saints could reflect on their 7-0 lead.

Up until then the Exiles' big runners had been kept relatively quiet, but when Elvis Seveali'i stood up superbly in a tackle he created a penalty for Homer to convert from nigh on halfway. And when Dowson strayed in front of a Lee Dickson box kick three minutes later Homer had the chance to make it a one-point ball game, which he duly did.

Homer hit the left-hand upright with his next shot, again from halfway, and with this failure sandwiched by a pair of Myler successes the Saints headed into the second half with a handy 13-6 lead.

In chasing the game for 20 minutes London Irish had shown glimpses of danger, and this was the case five minutes after the break, too. Had Topsy Ojo kept hold of his attempted interception pass he would have been away between the uprights.

Saints were guilty of blowing chances, too, and after a nice lineout move five metres from the home line had got them onto the front foot it was disappointing to see Dickson knock the ball on at the ruck base.

It wasn't too long before Saints were back deep in Irish's 22, however, thanks to an Ashton kick and chase that forced Casey into touch 10 metres out. This in turn eventually forced another penalty which Myler converted for a 10-point lead, but when Calum Clark spilled the kick off Irish had an immediate chance to strike back.

That time the Saints defence forced a kick to touch and then the maul won a penalty. But with Casey winning the ball back the light green line had more work to do. This time they held out and more, and like the first half the pressure yielded a score.

This time the turnover came when Hartley kicked ahead loose ball at the base of a ruck, and when Ojo made a mess of sweeping up the play Dickson, Soane Tonga'uiha and Clark combined to go all the way up to the home line. Clark was caught just short, but the ball was recycled quickly and Ashton had just about his simplest finish of the season so far.

Myler converted well under pressure, and the 23-6 lead this created going into the final quarter was well needed when Richard Thorpe dived over from a five-metre scrum. Ironically enough it had come from a superb driving effort from the Saints, but regardless the contest was very much back on, especially with Homer's conversion.

This score swung the momentum firmly back the Exiles' way, and when Seilala Mapusua was put through by a Bowden offload to score his team's second try in four minutes the volume of the Madejski Stadium rose appreciably.

Saints needed something to settle their nerves quickly, and thanks to Myler they got it with a kick ahead that forced a lineout and then a penalty when the Exiles infringed.

But it was in defence where Myler proved to be a match winner, stripping the ball from Ojo when the winger looked set to score. This was as close as Irish got as well, thanks to two David Paice errors at successive lineouts that handed the ball back to Saints, as well as the win.

REFEREE David Rose

TIMELINE
4mins IRISH Miss pen Homer
10mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
20mins SAINTS Try Ashton Con Myler 0-7
28mins IRISH Pen Homer 3-7
31mins IRISH Pen Homer 6-7
33mins SAINTS Pen Myler 6-10
36mins IRISH Miss pen Homer
40mins SAINTS Pen Myler 6-13
HALF-TIME IRISH 6 SAINTS 13
53mins SAINTS Pen Myler 6-16
58mins SAINTS Try Ashton Con Myler 6-23
65mins IRISH Try Thorpe Con Homer 13-23
69mins IRISH Try Mapusua Con Homer 20-23
73mins SAINTS Pen Myler 20-26
FULL-TIME IRISH 20 SAINTS 26