Injury-hit Bath fall to Saints’ fast start

By ROB WILDMAN

 

Northampton ..40pts

Tries: Hutchinson 2, Freeman 12, Augustus 24, 35; Skosan 51, 67

Conversions: Biggar 2, 12, 24, 35; Furbank 67

Bath ………………..19pts

Tries: Underhill 17, Boyce 39, Stuart 49

Conversions: De Glanville 39, 49

A SPEEDY start opened the way for Northampton to inflict another morale-sap- ping defeat on bottom-placed Bath.

Nothing went right for luckless Bath who have yet to win in nine Premiership games this season.

They lost halfbacks Ben Spencer and Danny Cipriani in the first half and, ultimately, paid for a dull start when they allowed Northampton to build momentum.

Northampton's emerging forces in No.8 Jurano Augustus and wing Courtnall Skosan scored two tries each to continue their impressive entries into a team who are now third.

Bath saved themselves from complete embarrassment by mounting a pack-inspired fightback after conceding early tries to centre Rory Hutchinson and ever-dangerous wing Tommy Freeman.

Three tries from forward drives almost caught Northampton napping before the home team re-exerted their authority.

Overall, Bath looked out of sorts again, especially in a difficult first half when Cipriani, who did not return from a head assessment after a heavy tackle, and Spencer, who has an upper leg problem, left the field.

Bath boss Stuart Hooper reported afterwards that they had sustained “significant injuries” while he also said that lock Josh McNally had pulled out in the warm-up.

Mike Williams stepped up to replace McNally, but his afternoon brought a first-half yellow card, following a dangerous tackle on Dan Biggar, and injury in the second half.

Hooper and his cocoaches were still climbing the steps to their seats when Northampton struck in the second minute.

The Saints surprised Bath by their pace out wide and the ploy worked a treat to bring those tries for Hutchinson and Freeman in the first 12 minutes.

Freeman had already helped make Hutchinson's foltry before he finished off another move this time involving the hard-working flanker Karl Wilkins and centre Fraser Dingwall.

Dan Biggar converted both to bring up a 14-0 lead before Bath mounted an attack of note. That happened in the 17th minute when two penalties forced an attacking line-out which led to Sam Underhill being trundled over for a try Cipriani could not convert.

However, Bath's afternoon went downhill five minutes later when they lost Cipriani and Spencer, within three minutes.

To compound the problems Bath lost Williams to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle on Biggar and conceded two more tries, both to the eager Augustus.

With Biggar converting both tries, Northampton led 28-5 before Bath struck just before half-time through a second try from a push over, this time going to prop Lewis Boyce.

A third try early by Boyce's front row colleague Will Stuart nine minutes into the second half gave Bath some hope at 28-19. Tom de Glanville, having taken over the kicking duties, added the two conversions.

However, Northampton, despite the sin-binning of hooker Sam Matavesi, regrouped to impose their superiority again and two tries from Skosan settled the contest.

Skosan's second score was memorable for the skilful cross-kick of George Furbank who had taken over at fly half when Biggar had been substituted.

It was a clinical attack, well executed, and summed up the difference between the two sides.