Despite Northampton Saints ending up on the losing end of the 38-31 result at Twickenham Stoop last weekend, Director of Rugby Phil Dowson insists that there is ‘loads’ his side can take from the clash going into the Gallagher PREM play-offs.
It was a cruel end to Northampton’s regular league season, as Quins scored with the final play of the game to cancel out the five tries Saints had managed – from Jonny Weimann (2), JJ Van Der Mescht, Josh Kemeny and Toby Thame.
Saints had come into the Round 18 match with their fate already decided, having secured a dramatic late winner of their own the previous weekend to secure themselves top spot in the PREM table and an all-important home play-off tie.
But Dowson knows that the lessons learned in that final clash of the regular season could prove invaluable going forwards.
Dowson said: “We did loads and loads of good stuff in that game with a slightly changed group.
“We had loads of opportunities we didn’t take.
“Primarily, the breakdown was frustrating and disappointing from a technical point of view and it’s frustrating to lose in the last play of the game, but sometimes that happens.
“We’ve benefitted from last-play-of-the-game wins so we have to take it with us.”
The match had presented Saints with a unique opportunity to give several of their players some much needed gametime, while others took some equally needed rest.
Curtis Langdon was among those getting valuable minutes on the field, while the likes of Jonny Weimann and James Pater stepped up to play starting roles. Saints also handed Sonny Tonga’uiha a PREM debut and saw the return of Tom James from injury alongside Langdon.
And there was plenty to celebrate about the rugby too. Both of Weimann’s tries were record-breaking; his first took Saints' regular season tally past 100, with Northampton becoming the first team in PREM history to accomplish that feat, and Weimann's second moved the men in Black, Green and Gold to 104 overall – more tries than have ever been scored in a single league season including the Play-Offs.
And despite the final result, Dowson was pleased with how his side handled the opportunity ahead of their journey into the final four.
“From a performance point of view, we got loads out of it,” he said.
“We saw people in different positions. We had Jonny Weimann playing, Sonny Tonga’uiha making his PREM debut, Josh Kemeny hasn’t played a huge amount recently, neither has Tom Pearson.
“JJ van der Mescht did 80 minutes and I thought he was as good as he’s been in the past month.
“It was good to see Curtis Langdon play 60 minutes and blow some of the cobwebs off.
“We just weren’t good enough as a whole to get over the line.”
Results elsewhere on Saturday decided Saints’ opposition for that play-off tie – with an East Midlands Derby up next as Leicester Tigers come to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday 12 June (kick-off: 7.45pm).
Leicester took home the bragging rights last time the sides clashed, and with the stadium set to be at capacity, the stage is set for a blockbuster match-up. But Dowson knows that Saints cannot let the occasion get to them.
When asked if he had kept an eye on the other Round 18 fixtures, he said: “Of course I was conscious of them but when I got up this morning, I wasn’t really bothered about them. What will be will be.
“Someone told me we’ve got Leicester so we’ll prepare for that accordingly.
“It’s great from a fans’ point of view but fundamentally we need to play the Leicester Tigers who are going to turn up on Friday night.
“That means learning our lessons from last time, preparing thoroughly, as we always do, and making sure our house is in order for Friday night.”