Ace Biggar on target to line up top four showdown
CHRIS Boyd insisted securing a Champions Cup spot for next season was “the minimum target” for his Saints, and now wants them to finish the season in style by sealing a play-off spot at Sandy Park.
The Northampton boss must now prepare his men for the task of upsetting Chiefs in their own back yard in 13 days time after a bonus-point win over Warriors left their play-off hopes firmly in their own hands.
Boyd would have preferred Chiefs having nothing to play for in the clash that could either extend or halt his team’s campaign but with the men from Devon needing to win to clinch top spot in the regular season after losing to Saracens yesterday, the picture is a little more clouded.
Two tries and a bulldozing display from powerful wing Taqele Naiyaravoro ensured Saints rose back above Harlequins into fourth place.
Director of rugby Boyd said: “Finishing in the top six was our minimum target at the start of what has been a difficult season at times. Now we are one huge game away from a play-off spot and it should be a good occasion down in Exeter.
“They will see it as a warm-up for their own semi so will probably field a strong team.
“It is possible we will drop out completely or it’s possible we could play them again the following week.
We can’t control that but we must go down there and finish off our season with momentum to take into next season.
“The boys have performed very well to get us to this stage and in a decent position to continue the campaign. They deserve all the credit for what they have achieved so far and hopefully they have not finished yet.”
Fijian-born Naiyaravoro, capped twice by Australia, grabbed two tries and used his vast 6ft 5in, 20st frame to force Worcester into submission Luther Burrell, Tom Wood and Reece Marshall also crossed in a one-sided affair with England centre Ben Te’o scoring for the visitors who escaped relegation last week.
Wales fly-half Dan Biggar produced an international class all-round performance kicking six out of six and also controlled and organised Saints superbly as the hosts overwhelmed their opponents.
Centre Burrell began the scoring spree by bursting through a large gap in the Warriors defence after just three minutes for the opening try. The home fans enjoyed a lively first-half which saw Naiyaravoro power his way across and, after Duncan Weir reduced the lead with a penalty, Naiyaravoro repeated the act as the visitors lost scrum-half Francois Hougaard to a yellow card for a ruck offence and their defence struggled to contain the man mountain.
Flanker Wood charged over for the bonus try well before the break with England centre Te’o responding for the visitors, who lost three players to HIAs in quick succession, Perry Humphreys, Francois Venter and Nick Schonert.
Biggar kicked an early second half penalty and hooker Marshall completed the victory with the fifth try.
