Northampton Saints’ match-day captain Chunya Munga felt the game slipped away from his squad’s grasp as they lost their first game of the season to Newcastle Red Bulls in the PREM Rugby Cup.
Saturday’s 14-31 defeat ended Saints’ seven-game unbeaten run in league and cup so far in the 2025/26 campaign, and despite a strong second-quarter performance from the men in Black, Green and Gold, the northern visitors came away from cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens with the victory.
“It was pretty frustrating, to be honest,” Munga explained. "We let the game slip away from us. It felt like at the start, we were in control, even though we had to defend for large parts of it.
“Unfortunately, in the second half, we weren’t able to put a marker down, and the game got away from us, and it felt like a lot of it should have been in our control, but just wasn’t.
“We have the opportunity to come in and review where we went wrong. We never like losing at home.”
Munga, who captained the side against the Red Bulls, made his first appearance of the 2025/26 season against Harlequins a fortnight previously, after picking up a small injury in pre-season, but is now back in full force for Saints.
“Playing at six was a welcome change,” Munga continued. “It was a little bit more on the legs, but it was nice to get myself back on the pitch at home.
“It’s been a disjointed start to the season for me through injury, but now I’m looking forward to getting some momentum under my belt and looking to perform for the team.”
Saints return to action for the final fixture of this PREM Rugby Cup block in the East Midlands Derby on Friday 21 November (kick-off: 7.30pm) against Leicester Tigers away at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Munga said: “Leicester is always an important fixture for us, it’s the East Midlands Derby, it doesn’t matter what competition it’s in, we’ve got to come back in next week with the attitude to improve.”