The first half was played out at a frenetic pace and while the start of the second half backed off slightly, both sides finished with a flourish to add four tries in the final 10 minutes.
Alex Day bagged a brace inside the opening 12 minutes, but while the final margin was a comfortable one, the scrum-half was full of praise for the way in which the game was played and in particular the Army’s fighting spirit.
“The Army are a great team and they love to run it,” he told SaintsTV. “We knew we were going to get a full 80 game. We got off to a really good start, 21-0 up quite quickly, but then we let it slip a bit.
“Fair play to the Army. They came back and put us under a lot of pressure and we expected that.”
AS IT HAPPENED
2mins
Good gather by Collins under Olver’s high ball and after a penalty goes to the corner, the forwards drive, Day snipes and the scrum-half leaps over for the first score of the night. Good solid strike from Olver with the extras too.
SAINTS 7 AMRY 0
9mins
Another lineout drive this time comes to little but when the Saints play ball, slick passing opens up space in midfield and Mallinder scythes through to go beneath the posts. Routine two for Olver.
SAINTS 14 ARMY 0
12mins
Olver spots space out wide and having picked out Collins with a well-judged kick, the young winger in turn puts a good punt forward. Plenty of Saints interest but Diggin leaves it for Day to dive down for his second and Saints’ third. Olver striking it beautifully from the tee.
SAINTS 21 ARMY 0
15mins
That’s a good response from the Army. A penalty to the corner is trucked up and ever closer to the Saints line before the backs spin it to Nacamavuto. Powerful finish from the centre and Dixon converts with ease.
SAINTS 21 ARMY 7
19mins
Army coming into the game. Saints penalised in midfield and Dixon strikes another accurate kick straight between the uprights.
SAINTS 21 ARMY 10
25mins
Saints’ blistering start has come to a juddering halt. Super break from Tamatawale through the heart of the home defence and an overlap on the left isn;t required as Wessels dances his way through.
SAINTS 21 ARMY 15
32mins
Unbelievable stuff from Olver! Craig slips with the line at his mercy, but keeps the ball alive for his young fly half. A quick flick between the legs and Diggin is in for number four.
SAINTS 28 ARMY 15
35mins
Autagavaia needs no invitation to go running and having beaten the first line, the cover isn’t getting close. Full back scrambles but the Samoan is flying.
SAINTS 33 ARMY 15
HT
A cracking first half, 48 points and six tries shared. A couple of really good spells from the Saints sandwich one from the Army and both sides look happy to run from all areas.
SAINTS 33 ARMY 15
50mins
No score, but plenty of endeavour in the second half so far and a couple of nice breaks from Tamatawale and Mallinder for either side. First half pace was always going to be tough to maintain!
SAINTS 33 ARMY 15
60mins
After an open, flowing first 40, this game has turned into something of an arm wrestle. Still scoreless since the break.
SAINTS 33 ARMY 15
70mins
Finally some second half points and Olver’s involved again. The forwards truck it up, Olver spots space and cuts inside before gifting the score to Hutchinson. Mallinder assumes kicking duties and nails the conversion.
SAINTS 40 ARMY 15
76mins
Number seven for the Saints and a second for Autagavaia. Looked perilously close to an interception but Glynn gathers and loops a pass over the cover for his full back. Mallinder slips but still nails the tricky extras from wide.
SAINTS 47 ARMY 15
79mins
Super score from Tamatawale. The winger turns on the gas down the left touchline and while a step that rolls Autagavaia also sends him off balance, he’s time to get to his feet and stumble over.
SAINTS 47 ARMY 22
80mins
Army finishing with a flourish. Prasad twice dances through to the crowd’s delight and after a quick tap, Koroiyadi barges over beside the posts.
SAINTS 47 ARMY 29
FT
What an evening of rugby! Edgar Mobbs was a player renowned for his running abilities and each of his two representatives showed a similar ambition this evening - both receiving reward for their endeavours. Thorough entertainment for the 2,412 at the Gardens.
SAINTS 47 ARMY 29
TIMELINE
9mins SAINTS Try Mallinder Con Olver 14-0
12mins SAINTS Try Day Con Olver 21-0
15mins ARMY Try Nacamavuto Con Dixon 21-7
19mins ARMY Pen Dixon 21-10
21mins ARMY Try Wessels 21-15
32mins SAINTS Try Diggin Con Olver 28-15
35mins SAINTS Try Autagavaia 33-15
HALF-TIME SAINTS 33 ARMY 15
76mins SAINTS Try Autagavaia Con Mallinder 47-15
79mins ARMY Try Tamatawale Con Dixon 47-22
80mins ARMY Try Jope Con Dixon 47-29
FULL-TIME SAINTS 47 ARMY 29
SAINTS: Diggin; Collins, Hutchinson, Mallinder, Autagavaia; Olver, A Day; Hobbs-Awoyemi, McMillan, Parkins, Craig, Verbakel, Williams, Conner, Harrison
Reps: Marshall, Warren, Herriott, Onojaife, Harry, Glynn, Hall, Segun
BRITISH ARMY: Dixon; Bishop, Nacamavuto, Wessels, Tamatawale, Read; Chennell; Titchard Jones, Austin, Budgen, Jones, Bates, Lennox, Ball, Richardson
Reps: Filler, Ross-Allen, Koroiyadi, Jope, Shaw, Prasad, Bulumakau, Hiscock, Reeves
Att: 2,412
