If these two were to meet in the semifinals in three weeks, it is fair to say the contest would take on a different shape. Northampton earned maximum points with this victory over Saracens to advance into the fourth and final playoff position with two rounds remaining, but they do not have a champion’s demeanor.
Even though this was Saracens’ second team, the visitors played the majority of the match with 14 men after Duncan Taylor was sent off early.
Under these conditions, Northampton was not particularly impressive. Saracens concluded stronger, scoring two tries in the final 10 minutes to earn a bonus point for themselves. Nonetheless, if the Saints can win at Newcastle on Friday night, their final regular-season game, they will have a strong opportunity of finishing in the top four.
As usual, it was a divided bag, according to Phil Dowson, director of rugby for Northampton. “But occasionally, you cannot have brilliance without some calamity. It is about attempting to lessen that.”
Saracens will host a playoff opponent, almost surely the team that finishes fourth.
A few might complain, particularly London Irish, that they were not at full vigor here. Irish, who were eliminated from the fourth place by Northampton’s victory, have a bye week this week but will face the league leaders the following Sunday. Will they also encounter a second XV?
However, we cannot complain about player welfare one moment and then about player leisure the next. As a result of the way the schedule fell, Northampton benefited from a bit of good fortune. However, once the match began, Northampton’s good fortune increased exponentially.
In the eighth minute, Taylor became the latest scapegoat for rugby’s brain injury crisis. Olly Hartley, one of several impressive youngsters, worked through a gap in midfield during a well-executed play off a lineout to score a try for Saracens, humiliating their heavily-favored opponents. Alex Lewington was on site and sent a corner kick to Rotimi Segun, who finished with style.
So far so intriguing. Then came the most recent blow to the integrity of a match. Taylor was upright when he collided with Fin Smith, but there are erect tacklers all over the pitch in every game. Taylor is one of the best defensive centers of the last decade.
To all the furious commentators and legislators in their armchairs: perhaps elite rugby is more difficult than it appears. If a player of his caliber is susceptible to inadvertent head collisions, then everyone is. And they will continue to occur forever. Neither will red cards.
It was a mixed fortune for the 15,000 individuals who were present. Even though a Manu Vunipola penalty extended Saracens’ lead to ten points before Northampton’s response, surely the host team was now assured of the victory.
Even allowing for the depleted lineup of the visitors, this was not going to be the sort of straightforward contest they might have hoped for.
Alex Moon eventually opened Northampton’s account at the end of the first quarter, after a penalty kick to the corner was converted by Northampton. Three minutes later, James Ramm took advantage of some disarray in Saracens’ wide defense – exactly where Taylor would have been – to break and set up a Lewis Ludlam try that gave Northampton the lead.
A few minutes before halftime, Ramm rectified the Saints’ latest handling error to set up Tommy Freeman for the third try for the host team. Rory Hutchinson struck the fourth goal three minutes into the second half, after more excellent work down the right side by Ramm. A few minutes later, Smith scored another try in the corner, which effectively ended the game.
Given that Northampton is not a model of consistency, there were a few more twists to endure. Just before the hour mark, Vunipola scored Saracens’ second try, but Segun’s yellow card reduced them to 13 players. Fraser Dingwall scored Northampton’s sixth goal.
Then, the visitors scored two tries, the first by Theo Dan while they were still trailing by 13 points. The bonus point garnered by Saracens as a result of Segun’s try to the death virtually guarantees the team’s first-place finish. Northampton still has work to do for fourth place. Then we would repeat this process, but only in name.
