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Tyres NorthamptonIn the latest installment of the East Midlands derby, Northampton Saints suffered a frustrating 24-8 defeat to Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday, 12th October 2024. Despite several promising moments, the Saints were left ruing missed opportunities, as they struggled to break through a resilient Leicester defence.
The match began at a frenetic pace, with Leicester’s Freddie Steward crossing the try line within the first few minutes after a quick penalty tap. Handré Pollard’s conversion set the early tone, with the Tigers gaining a 7-0 lead. Saints thought they had responded in kind through Sam Graham, only for the try to be disallowed after a knock-on was spotted by the Television Match Official (TMO). To compound their woes, Graham left the pitch on a stretcher soon after, adding to Northampton’s injury concerns.
Northampton’s chances continued to slip away, with a George Furbank error denying them another try, and Fin Smith’s penalty shortly before half-time proved to be their only points during the first half. Leicester extended their lead to 10-3 by the break, Pollard adding a penalty after Saints were reduced to 14 men following Curtis Langdon’s yellow card for a high tackle.
The Tigers asserted control in the second half, using their dominant scrum to secure possession and territory. Olly Cracknell added a second try for Leicester, and despite Saints showing resilience, another TMO decision went against them when Tom Pearson was held up over the line. Leicester’s Ollie Chessum then powered over for the third try, putting the result beyond doubt.
Tommy Freeman managed to get Saints on the scoreboard with a late try, but it was too little, too late, as Leicester ran out comfortable winners in front of a buoyant home crowd.
For the Saints, it was a game of frustration, having three potential tries ruled out by the TMO. Their inability to convert pressure into points, particularly when Tigers were down to 14 men on two separate occasions, left them with plenty to reflect on. Director of rugby Phil Dowson expressed his disappointment after the game, acknowledging that while Saints created chances, their execution let them down.
With this defeat, Saints are now two losses from four games in their Premiership title defence, leaving them with work to do as they seek to regain momentum.
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Northampton will need to regroup quickly as they continue their Premiership campaign. With injuries piling up and crucial fixtures ahead, Dowson and his team will have to sharpen their attacking play and improve their discipline if they are to get back to winning ways.
Leicester, under head coach Michael Cheika, have now won three of their first four games, showing signs of a formidable challenge for the Premiership title. Their ability to grind out results, even when under pressure, bodes well for their season ahead.