Premiership: Northampton 41-30 Saracens - James Ramm double helps Saints see off Saracens
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Theo McFarland's first try of the season in his third appearance got Saracens on the board
Gallagher Premiership |
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Northampton: (17) 41 |
Tries: Coles, Ramm 2, Freeman, Sleightholme Pens: Smith 2 Cons: Smith 5 |
Saracens: (10) 30 |
Tries: McFarland, Earl, Lewington 2 Pens: Farrell 2 Cons: Farrell 2 |
Two tries from James Ramm helped Premiership leaders Northampton to a fine bonus-point win over Saracens.
England wing Tommy Freeman, Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme also went over as Saints extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
Saracens trailed 17-0 before Theo McFarland scored, but Saints built a telling lead after the interval.
Ben Earl's try kept Sarries in the game and Alex Lewington's last-minute double rescued a bonus point.
The late drama at Franklin's Gardens salvaged something for defending champions Saracens and moved them up to second in the table, on a night when they were well beaten by arguably Northampton's best performance of the season so far.
Fin Smith's delayed pass sent Coles in for the first try after just five minutes before Sleightholme beat six defenders in one run that took him almost to the line and Ramm dived over.
McFarland charged down Tom James' box-kick and regathered to score Saracens' first points but they failed to take anything from pressure close to the line just before half-time.
Owen Farrell's penalty after the break brought the deficit back to 17-13 but a quick-tap penalty from James and a strong run from hooker Curtis Langdon made ground for Saints before Ramm picked an excellent line to go over for the hosts' third try.
Earl charged down Ramm's clearance to keep Saracens alive but Lewington was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and Saints worked Freeman in from a lovely first-phase move off a line-out.
When Farrell's loose pass led to a breakaway try for Sleightholme it appeared to condemn Saracens to a miserable night.
But in the 79th minute, Lewington gathered a cross-field kick to go over and then raced away to earn a point that could prove crucial in a desperately tight race for the top four.
Northampton: Ramm; Freeman, Odendaal, Dingwall, Sleightholme; Smith, James; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Coles, Lawes, Pearson, Augustus.
Replacements: Matavesi, Waller, Prowse, Mayanavanua, Ludlam, Graham, McParland, Litchfield.
Saracens: Daly; Maitland, Cinti, Tompkins, Lewington; Farrell, Van Zyl; M Vunipola, George, Riccioni, McFarland, Isiekwe, Gonzalez, Christie, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Dan, Mawi, Judge, Tizard, Willis, Earl, Simpson, Goode.
Referee: Luke Pearce.