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Gritty Bath make it three wins from three since the restart as Northampton fold again at home
By PA
Tom de Glanville and Ruaridh McConnochie sealed a third-straight Gallagher Premiership win for Bath since lockdown in a gritty 18-3 win at Northampton Saints. Full-back de Glanville broke the try deadlock just before the hour only to trudge off straight away with a suspected neck injury.
The 20-year-old son of former England captain Phil de Glanville copped heavy contact from Saints duo Tommy Freeman and Rory Hutchinson but still delivered a smart finish under pressure.
Courtesy of a dominant scrum and a regimented defensive game, Bath nullified Northampton throughout an often scrappy contest and drew full reward when replacement McConnochie raced in for their second score to seal just their second league win at Franklin’s Gardens in 20 years.
Bath’s third win in a row since the league’s resumption pushed Stuart Hooper’s men up to fourth in the table. Saints, meanwhile, were left to rue a second loss in their three matches since the Premiership’s return, evening out their win-loss ratio to eight apiece.
A turgid first-half’s first meaningful act saw JJ Tonks slip off his tackle on Mercer, flipping the Bath number eight upside down. Tonks walked for the deserved yellow card for his efforts and Bath eventually gained some benefit with Josh Matavesi’s penalty on 20 minutes.
Dan Biggar missed a routine penalty shot just before the half-hour, with Taqele Naiyaravoro brutally swatting Mike Williams aside in the build-up. Wales playmaker Biggar founds his kicking boots to level the scores on 33 minutes, and Josh Matavesi ensured a try-less first-half when hauling down the marauding Naiyaravoro.
Saints cranked up the pressure after the break, but still failed to find any momentum amid a gritty Bath defence. Bath’s tight work and especially their scrum kept the visitors in the contest, thwarting the Saints on a number of occasions deep in their own 22.
After weathering that extended storm, Bath pounced on one Saints error, finally opening the try scoring just ahead of the hour. Ahsee Tuala spilled replacement scrum-half Ben Spencer’s bomb and in a flash Bath were in at the corner.
De Glanville latched onto the pass over the top and slid home, with the score given after a television match official (TMO) review. That proved de Glanville’s last act of the night however, as the young full-back was replaced after suffering a suspected neck injury.
Matavesi missed the touchline conversion, but Bath still led 8-3 heading into the last quarter. Bath doubled their try count and killed off the contest shortly afterwards, forcing and then capitalising on another Saints error.
This time Saints replacement Sam Matavesi – brother of Bath fly-half Josh – spilled the ball in contact, and McConnochie strolled home. Replacement fly-half Rhys Priestland slotted the conversion, and later added a penalty as Bath turned the screw at the death.
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Latest Comments
Actually you need to read my responses properly. The response on which you responded is actually aimed at CO, another responder. Go read my original response on Ben Smith's BS. He is a bloody joke, a wannabe. And so is any of that losers followers. If you talk crap all the time it try to clickbait like BS, then don't expect people to respect him.
Most people (not you of course) will never take him serious. We all see him exactly for who and what he is. Talking about victories for the French in 2017 and 2021. Most of those players isn't in the AB's team. In the game in the WC the AB's was fresh off a hiding from the Boks with their confidence so easy targets. Unsettled team with a coach that already lost his job. As if that is such a motivation, most players knowing under Robinson they will be dropped for his Crusaders players.
Not exactly the environment in which to claim WC honours. Yet, despite all that turmoil, that AB team that got thrashed by the Boks and lost to France, came back and made the WC Final. None of these things get mentioned. Oh no, that doesn't suit his narrative doesn't it? He needs to clickbait the SH teams as usual.
I'm not a violent man, not always, but that's a pathetic little worm I would break every bone in his body, and each sound of breaking bone would give me as much pleasure as a win for the Boks. I would record the sound of his breaking bones and use it as a new ringtone. That is how much respect I have for idiot clickbaiters like him.
Instead of proper articles like the rest out there, all he mostly dish up is tripe. He should change his name to Tripe Smith. That is a much better description of the weasel. Is that dissing enough for you? Next time, actually read to who my responses are aimed at and read their responses as to what elicited that type of response from me.
I don't usually strip myself for any response by you. I actually agree with most everything you usually say and I'm sure you would be a much better writer than BS, however, make sure you read to who and why the responses there is from various people before commenting. As for Lomu, he is one of the greats, despite not getting a WC trophy. I only had the highest regard for that man. What a player and what a human being he was.
Go to commentsCannot find the team anywhere. Skelton and uru sounds good though
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