In an entertaining clash at the Gardens the Saints, by a whisker, downed the Falcons to secure 5th place in the Zurich Premiership and almost certain European qualification. Only a Championship final between Bristol and Wasps can deny us place among the Euro elite now. But things could have been so different had John Leslie not pulled off a last gasp penalty on Inga Tuigamala. The former All Black, who returns back to the South Seas today to coach Samoa looked to be bullocking through for the score that would have edged his side in front until the 'Flower of Auckland' held him up short. The Saints cleared their lines drove up field and won the day. Had Inga scored the Saints could well have ended the season in 7th place and we would be visiting the likes of Romania or Rome instead of the bright lights of Pau or Perpignan next season with the Shield our target instead of the Cup.

The game started at a gallop with both sides trying to gain early control up front and the visitors no doubt trying to impress that they had put the Powergen semi final drubbing behind them. It was Saints who drew first blood though with an early Paul Grayson penalty. Larry was in the thick of things all afternoon and added to his tally minutes later after a series of forward drives took the game into the Falcons twenty two.

As the maul was for the umpteenth time collapsed Matt Dawson turned inside to feed Larry running up on the outside. To the utter surprise of most there instead of feeding the wing he darted across the face of the defence then swerved inside two flailing defenders to score a well taken and thoroughly deserved try.


The try gave the Saints an 8-0 lead and they were cruising but the Falcons had an ace up their sleeve in a certain Mr Patrick Lam. The former Gardens hero came on midway through the half and had an almost immediate effect. Following on from a Jonny Wilkinson penalty Lammy, who came on to the pitch to a warm Gardens welcome, took the ball deep into Saints territory at a speed that belied his age. A perfectly timed pass from the Samoan saw Hugh Vyvyan canter over for the score.
The Wilkinson conversion gave the Falcons the lead and despite a late Saints flurry, including a remarkable chip, chase and scything down of the Newcastle openside by Larry, the teams went in at the break with the visitors holding advantage at 8-10.

The Saints made changes at halftime bringing in Dan Richmond to shore up a lineout that didn't function with any conviction all afternoon. Nick Beal replaced Ben Cohen on the wing while new crowd favourite Robbie Morris replaced Mattie Stewart at prop.

Whatever happened at the first scrum clearly rattled George Graham as he walked away tapping his temple while pointing at young Morris. The game was just turning in the home sides favour as someone shouted that age old adage from the Tetleys ' Goo on Robbie, They don't like it up em!!!'.

A Larry penalty restored the Saints lead at 11-10 before a series of Northampton drives were held up legally and illegally on the Falcons line. Despite the visitors losing try scorer Vyvyan to the bin they still held sure and eventually cleared the ball downfield. The respite though was only an instant as Sideshow Joe Shaw and Nick Beal ran the ball back from deep allowing Matt Dawson to drive the forwards on. Just as it looked as if the defence would block progress yet again a sweet flip pass from the BBCs finest found England U21 skipper Mark Soden who dived over to score one of the tries of the season (are you reading this Sky TV?).


But again Saints were caught napping and silly mistakes cost the home side nine points in quick succession to the mercurial boot of Wilkinson. Following a straight forward punt at goal the England flyhalf hit two monster kicks from within his own half to cut the deficit to two points. Without even getting into Saints territory the Falcons were gradually picking away at the lead bit by bit.

It was however to be the last Newcastle points of the game as the Saints regained composure and laid siege again to the Newcastle line. With the defence in disarray a stray hand deliberately flipped the ball away at a ruck and Larry stepped up to seal a hard fought win for the Saints and that elusive fifth spot and probable European Cup rugby that looked a distant dream at Christmas.

As Mr Spreadbury blew the final whistle the crowd spilled onto the pitch as Andy Blowers received the Chron player of the season (he was later to receive the Saints Supporters Club one too) and people had a chance to say goodbye to the old mainstand which makes way for new facilities over the summer, Pat Lam and Ollie Brouzet who returns to his native France at season end.

We will not be seeing the old wooden edifice or the Samoan Saints legend again but Ollie still has Northampton work to do, and with a little luck we might see the towering Frenchman in the Gold, Black and Green three more times starting against London Irish at the 'Madsatd' next Sunday.

It's a good time to be a Saint!

Be there!



(All pics from Marlowes Magical Digicam)