The dust hadn’t even begun to settle on Northampton Saints’ agonising exit from the Investec Champions Cup, as Director of Rugby Phil Dowson sat down in front of a huddle of journalists with two of his most senior troops, Fraser Dingwall and George Furbank, beside him.
Last season’s beaten finalists had led for 74 of the 80 minutes of their quarter-final at a sold-out Recreation Ground, yet when the music stopped in Somerset, it was Bath who claimed a 43-41 win to progress into the last four of the competition, courtesy of late converted score.
It was a brutal conclusion for the men in Black, Green and Gold, especially given how they’d blown the defending Gallagher PREM champions wide open in a sensational first half that delivered nine tries – five of them coming from the away side.
Only twice in the last four years have Bath conceded 40 or more points in front of their own supporters – both of them coming against a visiting Northampton team this season. But unlike Saints’ 21-41 success in December 2025, the hosts did not fade and ultimately came out on top with a strong second-half showing.
Despite the bitter tang of defeat no doubt in his mouth, Dowson shared an objective assessment on a thrilling game, followed by a painful reflection on his side not converting a big lead into a second victory in Somerset in four months.
“It was a great game, I can see it is good for the game,” he said. “It had ebbs and flows, and momentum shifts, it had everything really. It was a good game of rugby but it was frustrating to be on the wrong side of it, particularly being 28-7 up and starting so well, but not being able to capitalise on it really.”
Saints’ start was jaw-dropping. Henry Pollock smashed his way over from close range before Dingwall glided over following a stunning attack from a sixth-minute lineout. Bath struck back through Tom Dunn, before a further brace of eye-catching scores from Tom Lockett and Josh Kemeny had Northampton fans dreaming of a third Champions Cup semi-final in as many years.
Ollie Sleightholme smashed his way over to strengthen his ratio of a better-than-a-try every other game in his hundredth outing for the Club, but it would break up three more Bath tries before the half-time whistle sounded as Saints’ lead was cut to nine at the break.
Saints would add only two Fin Smith penalties in the second half, as Bath managed 17 points through two converted tries and a Finn Russell penalty. While disappointment was in the air at not progressing for a showdown with Bordeaux Begles or Toulouse for a shot at a second successive final in this competition, Dowson was keen to shine a light on the achievements of his side on Friday evening.
“The pass Dingers made [for Tom Lockett’s try] the one-handed pass from Archie McParland [for Dingwall’s try], our ability to make space and take space and make some holes and create pressure in attack is outstanding,” added Dowson. “There’s loads of positives. I thought our scrum was very good for long parts of it. I thought some of our defensive shape in the first half was excellent, and we worked incredibly hard. You can’t coach effort and heart.
Reflecting on why it was Bath’s arm raised at the end of a titanic all-English tussle, Dowson said: “After half-time, we take a three, they got on top of us immediately after that. The last couple of weeks, our restart hasn’t been good enough.
“There are loads of different things that allowed them in, and they led to momentum shifts. Archie McParland takes a quick tap and goes, is the nine played? It ends up us hustling back and it being a five-yard scrum, there’s big shifts in the game, that is going to happen, fundamentally we didn’t execute enough, often enough to win the game.”
Saints’ focus now falls squarely on the Gallagher PREM, where they sit top of the pile with six rounds remaining; the next of which comes against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday 18 April – presenting Dowson with a big challenge to shift the focus from the disappointment of a European competition exit into strengthening their position at the top of the domestic league table.
“We have to pick the players up again and make sure they understand what is on the line,” he said. “One result in Europe, one result in the PRC, doesn’t necessarily define our season. The next six weeks defines our season going into the knockouts and that starts with Exeter.
“We said that Monday is a big day, that we come in with the same energy we’d have had if we had won, ready to be better and ready to prepare appropriately for Exeter.”