On Friday, the question was asked, "Do we merely have to turn up to collect this trophy?" Well, turn up we did but in such strength that Northampton Saints took the EDF Trophy back to Franklin's Gardens after a hard fought game against the Chiefs.

15,000 loyal Saints fans sang and cheered their way through the game (and much of the next match as well!) to spur their team on to success. The EDF Trophy will sit beside the ND1 League Title, which Saints secured last month when beating, coincidentally, yesterday's opponents.

Whilst the semi final match was played on a gluepot of a pitch in Plymouth, this final contest was acted out on Twickenham's green and immaculate surface, ideal for the speed merchants of both teams to strut their stuff. And within a minute of the kick off, the Saints express, Chris Ashton, was haring after a chip through from Carlos Spencer but to no avail, as the ball was knocked on in the tackle inches from the line. Saints fans had hoped for a "Hats on Wheels*" start and this was up among the best of them.

Saints kept the pressure on the Exeter line, going through the phases and probing the Chiefs defence but without success until the quarter of an hour mark when Saints opened their account. Saints had a lineout from a penalty but lost the ball on their throw (not for the last time either). The Chiefs moved the ball left and right but were unable to find a way through the stalwart Northampton defence until they eventually lost the ball forward. A superb Saints' scrum and breakout was spoiled illegally by Exeter. Saints opted to kick for touch and managed to control the line out this time for the forwards to rumble on through a couple pf phases. The ball was then rapidly moved out to the backs and Joe Ansbro arrived at speed through the centre to score at the posts. Bruce Reihana, added the conversion although he was rather wayward with the boot at other times to get the scoreboard moving at last. 0-7 to Saints.

The lead was very short lived though, as Saints made a right mess of controlling the restart kick. After some mazy running by Drauniniu and enough missed tackles to ensure Nobby West would blow a gasket, Chad Slade was awarded a try which the referee might have decided otherwise had he bothered to look at the video replay and the ball lost forward which the rest of us saw on the giant screens moments later. Still, after Tony Yapp converted the scoreboard read 7-7 and it was becoming obvious that we had to do a lot more than just turn up.

Exeter were using their wingers much more effectively than in the previous league encounters and angled runs back infield were stretching the Saints defence to breaking point. They then took the lead through a long distance Yapp penalty after Paul Diggin had a mad moment and put his fellow backs under pressure with a wild pass infield which was followed by the penalty for hanging on in the ruck. Saints were behind 10-7 after 22 minutes and Exeter were punishing any mistakes and contesting 50/50 ball with much success.

It looked as though Saints had messed up another line out in the Exeter half soon afterwards but somehow after some juggling and non-textbook passes, Tom Smith, later declared Man of the Match, spotted Diggin in some space on the left. Great support running by Chris Ashton, looking for work rather than patrolling his own touchline, saw the former league player take the ball on through Chiefs tackling before unselfishly passing back to Diggin for the winger to score and for Saints to retake the lead 10-12 after Bruce missed the conversion.

Bruce hit the target minutes later with a penalty kick awarded after Ashton was taken out after chipping ahead but then missed from 25 metres just before half time when Chiefs spoiled Saints ruck ball. Barry Stewart had to be helped from the pitch with a leg problem to be replaced by Euan Murray.

The teams turned round 10-15. The Chiefs backs looked threatening throughout but Saints defence was strong and Exeter were becoming ill-disciplined at the breakdown and would have been further behind had Bruce had his best boots on.

The second half started at 1.00 pm and with Saints playing towards the North end and the majority of their adoring fans. Exeter picked up where they had left off in the first half and their three quarters were still menacing. Saints defence had to be up to the mark and the tackle rate was rising rapidly. Against this early run of play, Saints nearly had another try when Carlos's banana kick off the outside of his right boot fell into Exeter hands just as Ashton arrived at speed and inches away from him.

That marked a turn around in Saints fortunes, when Exeter illegally killed a Saints attack through the midfield and Bruce took the 3 points on offer. He kicked another 3 a few minutes later when Chiefs again infringed at the breakdown and now clear water was apparent as Saints went to 10-21.

Then, on 24 minutes played the referee's patience with Exeter's spoiling tactics, as Saints upped the work rate in attack, wore out and replacement flanker Miller was shown the yellow card. Bruce added another three from the penalty and at 10-24 surely we were home and dry (on the outside anyway!)

Exeter narrowed the gap shortly after, as Saints were pinged for not rolling away and this seemed to give Chiefs the necessary fuel to go back on the attack. With 4 minutes remaining, Exeter won a penalty and kicked for touch and a 5 metre line out. They attacked across to the right but the Saints pack held them out and drove them back from the line. Chiefs then worked the ball left and would probably been in with a man advantage on the left wing but for the final pass being knocked on and Saints had the scrum put in on their 5 metre line.

The Chiefs managed to win the ball back after disrupting the scrummage and looked to be over between the posts but the ball was held up. Exeter had the put in to the scrum but this time it was Saints who stole the ball as the clock passed 40 minutes. The pack moved the ball upfield and out to Carlos who fired the ball into the West stand to finish the job and bring home the EDF National Trophy to Northampton.

The players mounted the steps to the Royal Box to receive their medals and skipper Bruce Reihana, a shining light of strength and inspiration this season, accepted the Trophy, watched proudly by the RFU President, ex-Saints player Bob Taylor.

* "Hats on Wheels" - a strange translation from a French term meaning "all out attack from the kick off"

Teams

Exeter Chiefs:

Kingdom, Luff, M Fatialofa (19m, Yapp), J Fatialofa, Drauniniu;  Kelly, Stuart-Smith (67m, Barratt):  Parks (53m, Dunlea), Blythe (57m, Jenkins), Sturgess, Stevenson, Hanks (26m, Bentley), Slade (57m, Johnson), Andy Miller (67m, Alan Miller), Baxter (Capt)

Northampton Saints:

Reihana (Capt), Ashton, Ansbro, Downey, Diggin (74m, Myler);  Spencer, Howard (69m, Robinson); Smith (69m, Tonga'uiha), Hartley (83m, Shields), Stewart (38m, Murray), Lord, Rae, Easter, Lewitt (56m, Fox), Hopley (69m, Tupai).

Photographs Courtesy COYSDC's "man at the pitchside" - Richard Slater