KO
Decent bit of noise from a good turnout at the Madejski as Irish follow the Saints out. Humphreys will kick off for the hosts...
L IRISH 0 SAINTS 0
1min
Clark gathers the kick off cleanly and after a quick maul, Fotuali’i clears to the 10m line with a solid box kick. Irish attack with menace but the Saints defence drifts across and Wilson pulls Ojo in to touch. Lineout is won and Myler consolidates the clearance - Saints then nicking the Exiles lineout for good measure.
L IRISH 0 SAINTS 0
4mins
Lovely kick through from Myler is chased down by Dowson but O’Connor is aware enough to see it just into touch. Collins gets his first run, beating the first man with a swift step and at the very next breakdown Saints have a penalty straight in front, Cowan the Irish man off his feet. Myler clips it over for the lead.
L IRISH 0 SAINTS 3
6mins
Saints scoop up a loose kick on halfway but with a penalty conceded on the deck, O’Connor steps up and thumps his side to within 10m of the away line. Brilliant steal from Dickinson at the lineout though and Fotuali’i again gets good distance with his clearance.
L IRISH 0 SAINTS 3
9mins
Not the most clear cut penalty against Dickinson, the Saints 8 adjudged to have been off his feet when stealing the ball but whatever the case, Humphreys ties it back up.
L IRISH 3 SAINTS 3
10mins
Poor kick from O’Leary goes out on the full and Saints have a handy platform on the Irish 22. Smart little lineout move too that allows Manoa to go up the blindside but Irish defend it well and bundle the American into touch. Another dodgy clearing kick, this time from Humphreys, misses touch and when Saints counter the tackler fails to release and Myler lands the long ranger, via the upright.
L IRISH 3 SAINTS 6
14mins
Saints have another penalty after the Irish backs get it all wrong and fail to re-secure a bobbling ball. This one goes to touch and Saints flood the maul to go within 5m. When the forwards pick and go with another though Irish wrap it up and when the ball fails to get to ground it’s a home scrum.
L IRISH 3 SAINTS 6
18mins
Standard BIG carry from Manoa punches holes in the Irish line and Saints have another penalty as tacklers fail to roll. Myler puts his side into the corner but another attempted maul is held up by Irish, much to the Saints’ frustrations after the first one looked to have been pulled down.
L IRISH 3 SAINTS 6
22mins
Smart from Collins who makes sure he has a foot in touch from another Humphreys kick that doesn’t cut the mustard. Saints lineout on the home 22 is scooped by Dickinson and after Manoa smashes out more yards, George’s half break and flick inside sends Wilson beside the sticks. Lovely try from the Saints and Myler converts.
L IRISH 3 SAINTS 13
26mins
Irish attack with some heavy carrying in midfield and with Saints defenders failing to retreat quickly enough, the penalty for offside is clipped over by Humphreys. van Velze has replaced Dickinson on the Saints side.
L IRISH 6 SAINTS 13
28mins
Good nudge from Myler as Saints get the penalty on halfway - Irish looking to hold the man up but instead offending on the deck. The maul is again well handled and Irish get a penalty as Saints hold on, but Treviranus seems to have slapped Ma’afu in the aftermath. Decision reversed.
L IRISH 6 SAINTS 13
30mins
Myler goes to the corner for the third time but Irish look to have done their homework on the maul and hold tight once more. van Velze is a little isolated going into contact and Cowan gets over the ball for a penalty. More frustration for the visitors.
L IRISH 6 SAINTS 13
34mins
The Saints defence has stood up pretty well to Irish’s crash bangers so far and when Ojo is bundled into touch, Saints first win a scrum and then a penalty 47m from home. Heck of a strike from Myler and distance is absolutely no issue as it sails down the middle.
L IRISH 6 SAINTS 16
39mins
The hosts have defended the maul well and now use their own to great effect. With Saintsmen committed, the ball is whipped left and Tagicakibau is on the end of the line to crash over in the left corner ahead of the Saints cover. No conversion but Irish back in the game.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
HT
And that brings us to the break too, Saints leading and looking assured in defence right up until Tagicakibau’s hit back on the stroke of half-time. Territory hasn’t quite yielded the points they would have liked but they remain in control of the contest and lead by five.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
40mins
Tight and tense after the first half, but Saints have a lead to take into the second 40. Crunching hit from Haywood on Ojo from Myler’s restart and Collins is then more than secure chasing a high ball. Wrapped up but it will be a Saints scrum.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
44mins
That’s almost magic from Collins to keep an Irish penalty to touch on the park but the touch judge says he’s scooped it forward - marginally. The Exiles get the nod at the scrum and Humphreys this time makes sure by hitting the stands 18m from the try line.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
46mins
Irish inside the Saints 22 and sniffing a score but Clark forages brilliantly on the floor and steals one for his side. Burrell has a little dabble but in the end Ken sensibly boots clear and finds touch in the Irish half - where O'Connor knocks on in the very next phase.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
49mins
Ma’afu folds Yapp in two and there’s only one outcome from the scrum. A long way out again, Myler calls for the tee but this time he’s not quite on target. Well worth a crack given his form with the boot so far though. A bomb of a kick certainly bounces favourably for Burrell but crashing into O’Connor the centre can’t gather. It’s a heavy landing too but he’s up and looks ok.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 6
53mins
Half break by O’Connor gets Irish going forward but strong defence forces the hosts backward. The good work is undone though as a soft penalty comes in midfield. Humphreys is left short of air after a crunching tackle from Fotuali’i so it’s O’Connor who boots to touch.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
56mins
van Velze gets under high ball well to tap back on the Saints side but after their turn to attack ends in a turnover, Irish play the territory game to move the game into the visitors’ 22. A little sloppy at the lineout but Saints recover and hack clear.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
59mins
Irish run it straight back and when they earn a scrum penalty, O’Leary looks to inject some pace with a quick tap. George wins one back for the Saints but when Myler’s penalty misses touch Irish get another bite at the cherry and have a penalty just inside halfway. Nutley is on for Manoa - Mercey having previously replaced Ma’afu.
L IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
61mins
Humphreys has a go but he doesn’t look to have the distance or direction. Still, the home side get it back from the 22 dropout and another penalty - for offside - means referee Small with have a word with Dowson over the number conceded. Waldouck on for George in Saints green and Humphreys this time lands the penalty.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 16
64mins
The home side seem to be on the up here in Reading and Humphreys senses that territory is the play once more, sliding a kick in behind on the Saints’ 10m line. Saints take the lineout and then recover Fotuali’i’s high kick and the scrum half is aware enough to give the Saints good ground with a clever chip in behind thereafter.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 16
66mins
Treviranus lets Wilson’s Garryowen bounce and almost pays for it. Day can’t scoop up a tap back but Saints block an attempted clearance from the lineout and Irish play it on the floor right under the referee’s nose. Penalty bang in front, 25m out from which Myler makes no mistake.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
69mins
Brilliant restart work from van Velze on the run but after a kicking exchange ends in a Humphreys chip and chase, Saints knock on and it’s a home scrum on halfway. Ethan on for Alex Waller on the Saints loose head.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
71mins
First scrum on the field and Ethan and his front row buddies have the penalty. Horrible slice from Myler but the kick at least finds touch and inside the Irish half too. A couple of penalties from the lineout maul and a tackle shortly after and Myler can take Saints two scores clear. Not the best angle, however, and the kick goes left.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
74mins
Irish rally and now attack from halfway with plenty of time left on the clock for the points they need. Humphreys breaks on halfway and Wilson has to make a smart cover tackle on Sheridan as the last man, play now on the Saints’ 22.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
77mins
The hosts try some pick and drives but Ken and Burrell swamp Humphreys after O’Connor’s offload and Saints get the scrum as the maul is held up. Haywood departs for McMillan.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
79mins
Saints penalty at the scrum and with just 90 seconds left on the clock Saints will have a lineout just inside the Irish half. One last big play will finish this game off but the lineout is called not straight.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
80mins
Last chance saloon for Irish and they’ll have to do it from inside their own half. Well into added time as the Exiles probe for a way through but looking to protect the ball they go off their feet and a penalty to touch ends the game.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
FT
Saints far from the standards they set at the Gardens last weekend, but much of the credit must go to Irish for that, the hosts strangling the Saints driving game and giving them little space in attack. James Wilson’s game breaker set the platform though and allied with another assured kicking performance from Stephen Myler it’s a deserved win.
L IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
TIMELINE
5mins SAINTS Pen Myler 3-0
10mins IRISH Pen Humphreys 3-3
12mins SAINTS Pen Myler 3-6
24mins SAINTS Try Wilson Con Myler 3-13
27mins IRISH Pen Humphreys 6-13
36mins SAINTS Pen Myler 6-16
39mins IRISH Try Tagicakibau 11-16
HALF-TIME IRISH 11 SAINTS 16
50mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
61mins IRISH Miss pen Humphreys
63mins IRISH Pen Humphreys 14-16
68mins SAINTS Pen Myler 14-19
74mins SAINTS Miss pen Myler
FULL-TIME IRISH 14 SAINTS 19
Aviva Man of the Match: Phil Dowson
Att: 7,247
Referee: Andrew Small
