Northampton Saints vs Saracens

Wigglesworth sends it to touch for a lineout on halfway.

Ribbans up again for the lineout and Mitchell gets the ball out to Ratuniyarawa. Itoje is over the ball though and Saracens have the penalty.

Saracens turn the scrum and clear. Lineout Saints just outside Saracens' 22. 

Saints get close but are held up and we come back for the scrum.

Ribbans gets up for the lineout and Collins comes in hot for the offload. Gibson breaks through and Saints are just metres away now...

Saints go short with the restart but Saracens are there. The home side earns a penalty at the breakdown though and Mallinder sends to the corner.

... sends the touchline conversion wide though.

Lozoswki also enters play for Saracens with Tompkins leaving the field. 

Saracens clear the restart and Saints have the lineout on halfway.

Barrington and Isiekwe leave - the latter for a HIA - with Barrington and Skelton taking their places. 

Saracens somehow collect the restart and begin pushing around Saints' 22. But Ribbans turns the ball over and Biggar runs from deep. Saints being pushing and Mitchell boxes. The ball goes too high though and Saracens play on.

Wigglesworth boxes at the restart before launching himself at Brüssow. The scrum-half is penalised there and Biggar points for the posts. 

Lamositele and Earl come on for Koch and Vunipola as we restart. 

Penalty Saracens at the breakdown despite Saints getting over the ball. Goode points for the posts. 

Saracens maul from the lineout but as the ball comes wide it's lost and Francis clears. Saracens come forwards again but Saints' defence works well.

Ratuniyarawa enters play while Harrison takes his leave as we set the lineout. 

Lawes takes the restart and Mitchell is there for the offload. The scrum-half boxes at the next phase. Lineout Saracens on Saints' 22. 

Hartley, Waller and Reinach take their leave at the Gardens with Haywood, Van Wyk and Mitchell taking their places.

Saracens look to maul from the lineout but Saints hold them. The maul collapses and though the Saints players are screaming for the penalty, it goes Saracens' way. Goode points to the posts. 

Saracens chip through and though Reinach gets there first, he has no choice but to run the ball into touch. Lineout Saracens in Saints' 22. 

Saracens take the lineout but Saints hold them well. The ball eventually comes wide but there's no space there. Saracens still look for a gap but Saints' defence is holding firm.

Francis returns from his HIA with Naiyaravoro taking his leave. 

Reianch takes the restart and Mallinder clears well. Lineout Saracens on halfway. 

Gibson is up for the lineout this time and the maul goes forwards once more.

Saints maul again and have another advantage coming. They bring the ball out this time before we come back for the penalty. Biggar sends to the corner once more. 

Ribbans up for the lineout this time and Saints maul forwards. It's brought down again and it's another penalty at the maul for Saints. 

Gibson is up for the lineout and Saints maul again. They're slowed initially and earn another penalty there. Biggar sends the ball into the corner again. 

Saints maul from the lineout before earning a penalty there. Biggar sends to the corner again.

Scrum Saints as Saracens knock on from the restart. It's more solid but Saracens are penalised for a high tackle. Biggar does everything with his kick to touch and Saints have the lineout on Saracens' five metre.

Kruis and Wigglesworth enter play for Saracens with Skelton and Spencer taking their leave.

Mallinder replaces Francis - who took a large knock in the build up - for Saints.

No foul play says Doyle and we just stick with the penalty. Spencer lines up for the posts. 

Saracens press from the lineout and it's Lewington who gets them through again. He offloads to Tompkins but Saints scramble in defence. Saracens earn the penalty as Saints are penalised at the breakdown and we're with the TMO to see if there was any foul play on the home side's part.

Painter, Haskell and Burrell make way for Franks, Gibson and Symons as we set the lineout.

Penalty Saracens at the scrum and Spencer sends it to touch for a lineout just inside Saints' half. 

Scrappy from Saracens at the restart but they hold possession. Lewingston is released down the wing but chips through and Biggar is there. He offloads to Collins who darts through several defenders before being taken down. Saracens are penalised for knocking on though and Saints have the scrum. 

Itoje breaks into the 22 before Skelton has a go. The lock gets Saracens close before the ball comes back into the midfield again. Saracens are close here...

Biggar clears the restart and Saracens have the lineout just inside Saints' half. The away side push on with Saints defending hard. 

Lots still to play for as Goode gets us back underway here at the Gardens.

Saracens maul from the lineout but Haskell gets in there to turn the ball over. The ball comes quickly wide to Collins who sends a chip through for Tuala to chase. The fullback can't quite get there before it finds touch though and Saracens will have the lineout. 

Saracens have an advantage coming from a high tackle and Goode sends to the corner. 

The ball comes out quickly from the scrum and Naiyaravoro sees off  Lewington and B Vunipola before offloading. Saracens get over the ball though and earn the penalty. Goode clears to touch. Lineout Saracens on halfway. 

Ribbans gets up again and Saints press forwards. But as they look to go wide Biggar's pass finds Collins' feet instead of hands and Saracens collect the ball. The away side clear but it's too long and we come back for the scrum.

Strettle takes the restart but Saints are there in defence. Spencer boxes and Saints will have the lineout just inside Saracens' half. 

Another missed conversion from Spencer and Saints restart again.

Saracens look to maul from the lineout but make little ground. Rhodes breaks away and goes alone before the ball comes wide...

Advantage coming for Saracens from the scrum but they play on and good work from B Vunipola gets them up to the 22. But Doyle eventually brings us back to the penalty. Spencer clears to touch. Lineout Saracens on Saints' 22. 

The ball comes wide to Burrell and Francis who link up well on the wing. Waller picks and goes through the middle but loses the ball forwards in contact. Scrum Saracens on halfway.

Saracens look to maul from the restart before Spencer brings the ball out. Barritt nearly break through before Goode clears downfield. Biggar is there and his clear finds Williams. The fullback chips over but Biggar is there. Saints play on.

No conversion from Spencer though and Saints restart. 

Saracens attack from the lineout but a stray pass finds Biggar's hands. The fly half clears and Saracens collect but Saints' defence is up. Saracens play on though.

Saracens' kick off is returned by Saints. Lineout Saracens just inside Saints' half. 

George returns from the sin bin as we restart. Rhodes is back also and Tolofua returns to the bench. 

Saints come forwards strongly with Burrell charging through the middle. But Saracens put a boot in the ruck and Saints earn the penalty. This one Biggar lines up for the posts.

Saracens clear the restart but Mallinder is there to keep it in touch. He races forwards before Symons barges through the midfield. The ball comes wide to Collins and Gibson who get play over halfway. The home side have an advantage coming before Biggar chips to himself in the midfield. Saints are now up to the Saracens' 22 and pushing...

Another good scrum from Saints. Reinach gets the ball out to Collins who clears. Saracens just get there before it finds touch though. They play on but Saints work hard for the turn over and eventually the penalty. Biggar sends to touch again. Lineout Saints on Saracens' 22. 

Saracens look strong but Saints disrupt play well and force a knock on from their guests. Scrum Saints on their own five metre.

Lewington breaks and makes it up to the 22 before he's taken down. Saracens are really pushing now with Itoje getting them up to the five metre line.

Ribbans gets up to pressurise the lineout before Saints hold well as Saracens look to maul. Spencer clears before Saints return it. Saracens play on around half way. 

Free kick Saints as Tolofua is deemed to have thrown a dummy into the lineout. Biggar sends it long and Saracens will have a lineout back inside their own half. 

Lewington looks to dink through before an advantage comes for the away side. We come back for it eventually and Saracens send the ball to the corner. 

Saracens get up for the restart despite Lawes being under the ball and push on in Saints' 22. 

Tolofua comes on for the scrum with Rhodes taking his leave. 

Saints maul again from the lineout and this time they make slower progress. Ribbans goes it alone before Brüssow has a go. Eventually the ball makes it out to the midfield but here the ball comes loose. JP Doyle deems it to have come off a Saracens hand though and Saints will have the scrum. 

Ribbans again on the lineout and the maul goes forwards once more. Another penalty comes Saints way too!

RIbbans is up for the lineout before the maul comes forwards again. Another penalty is on the way. Biggar chips forwards for Burrell to chase and though the centre is there we come back for the penalty. 

Penalty Saints as they try to maul forwards. And we set for another lineout. 

Harrison scoops off the base again and the ball comes wide. Naiyaravoro is there and he sees off two defenders with his first touch. Tuala takes his offload before the ball comes back the other way. The ball is lost forwards into touch but that doesn't matter as Saints have an advantage to come back to. Biggar sends to the corner. 

Free kick Saints at the scrum this time and we'll set for another. 

Free kick Saracens though as Painter is penalised for pre-engaging. They opt for another scrum. 

Saints look to maul and make some ground but lose the ball there. Saracens clear but the ball is knock into touch by an away hand. Scrum  Saints just outside Saracens' 22. 

Saracens come forwards but Saints get over the ball in the ruck and earn the penalty there. Biggar wastes none of his kick and Saints will have a lineout on Saracens' five metre line. 

Ribbans charges up but the ball comes loose in contact and Saracens play on.

Harrison coops off the base of the scrum and Saints play on. Lawes barrels forwards before Reinach boxes. Williams is there but Biggar chases hard and takes the full back down. Spencer clears in the pressure from Saints and Tuala is there.

Saracens maul from the lineout but Saints hold them and Spencer is forced to kick again. Naiyaravoro is there but Lewington knocks on in the air. Scrum Saints.

Goode clears but Biggar is there. Lewington races up in defence but the fly half gets the ball away to Collins who chips through. Lineout Saracens just outside their own 22. 

Spencer boxes the kick-off and Saints play on. Harrison barges his side back over the halfway line before Biggar sends it skyward. Strettle is there but Saints' are up in defence.