Saints win battle of the cards
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:07
Northampton Saints managed to win the 'battle of the cards', as they punished Saracens' indiscipline with two second-half tries to set up an LV= Cup Final against Gloucester next week.
Gloucester eventually ran out 31-20 victors at Franklins Gardens on Sunday, with the home side crossing the line four times – two coming when the visitors were down to 14 men in a game which saw a total of five yellow cards handed out by referee Romain Poite in a niggly match.
The crucial period happened to be when Saracens prop Richard Skuse was in the sin-bin - with Northampton running through the depleted defence to set up tries for Brian Mujati and Paul Diggin.
Neil Best barged over to stretch the lead before a Justin Melck's consolation.
It was Saracens' fourth straight loss on all competitions and leaves the early Premiership pace-setters facing the very real prospect of ending up without any silverware this year.
Sarries had led early in the match, but the yellow cards cost them dear as they were cheered on by 500 plus travelling fans.
But, with key moments of the game going the way of the home side, Sarries left the midlands with only a weekend off to look forward to while for the Saints, it is Gloucester in the Final at Sixways next week.
Saracens started the game in fantastic form, counter-attacking from inside their own half which ended with Derick Hougaard giving them the lead with a penalty.
However, as well as the visitors had started, Saints also hit the ground running and after going through the phases with the forwards, Phil Dowson took the ball at pace from five metres out to score. Geraghty's conversion was wide.
However, the Hougaard was on target again after 15 minutes with the home side penalised at the scrum and it was 9-5 minutes later as the flyhalf added another three.
However, Sarries then lost captain Ernst Joubert to the sin bin for a reason only known to the referee and Geraghty kicked the three from the resulting penalty. Hougaard was on target again with Sarries down to 14 men but when the visitors blocked off a man from the restart, it allowed Geraghty to narrow the lead.
And with time running out in the first half, a Saints break ended with Geraghty kicking another penalty and Sarries having another man in the sin bin with Richard Skuse caught on the wrong side and shown yellow for not rolling away.
Injuries were playing their part for the visitors. They lost prop Kas Lealamanua after just 10 minutes and a limping Schalk Brits failed to make the second half. And with the second period just minutes old, Chris Wyles was carried from the field with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
It was while Sarries were still down to 14 men that Saints scored their second of the game. Pressure in midfield saw the space out wide and a long floated pass from Geraghty picked out Brian Mujati to score.
It got worse for the visitors minutes later. This time Geraghty worked a gap in midfield to release Chris Ashton on the reverse ball and he drew in his man to release Paul Diggin to score.
Glen Jackson reduced the arrears with a penalty on the hour but it was only a temporary reprieve as the Saints scored their fourth try on 70 minutes and it was a try which sealed the game. Sarries had the ball on the Saints 22 but Kameli Ratuvou was robbed as he went into the tackle and within seconds, the play was on the Saracens tryline and Neil Best burrowed over the score. Geraghty converted.
As the game wore on, Sarries pushed for tries and they forced referee Romain Poite into giving a series of yellow cards with Saints reduced to 13 men and Sarries 14 with Mouritz Botha in the bin.
Justin Melck crossed the line with five minutes remaining from a catch and drive to get a try for the visitors with the home side down to 13 men but Jackson saw his conversion strike the upright.
But it wasn't enough for the home side and it was Northampton Saints who booked a place in the LV= Cup Final.
The scorers:
For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Dowson, Mujati, Diggin, Best
Con: Geraghty
Pens: Geraghty 3
For Saracens:
Try: Melck
Pens: Hougaard 4, Jackson
Yellow cards: Yellow Mouritz Botha (Saracens, 75), Juandre Kruger (Northampton Saints, 75), Regardt Dreyer (Northampton Saints, 75), Richard Skuse (Saracens, 40), Ernst Joubert (Saracens, 21)
Teams:
Northampton Saints: 15 Bruce Reihana, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Jon Clarke, 12 James Downey, 11 Paul Diggin, 10 Shane Geraghty, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Neil Best, 6 Phil Dowson (captain), 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Brett Sharman, 1 Soane Tonga'uiha.
Replacements: 16 Andy Long, 17 Regardt Dreyer, 18 Jon Vickers, 19 James Cannon, 20 Mark Easter, 21 Alan Dickens, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Joe Ansbro.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Rodd Penney, 13 Kameli Ratuvou, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Derick Hougaard, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert (captain), 7 Andy Saull, 6 Jacques Burger, 5 Mouritz Botha, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Richard Skuse, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Kasiano Lealamanua.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Alex Brown, 18 Tom Mercey, 19 Tom Ryder, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Justin Marshall, 22 Glen Jackson, 23 Richard Haughton.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
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