Belleau penalty helps Northampton repel Gloucester’s thrilling fightback

For the second game in a row, Northampton Saints tore their opponents to shreds in the first half only to capitulate in the second. Last week they blew a 33-7 lead to draw with Exeter. This time they held on, claiming a nervy 37-35 win over a resurgent Gloucester, narrowly avoiding what would have been the largest ever comeback in English domestic rugby.

The idea of a contest felt like a fantasy midway through a game that would have required binoculars to be viewed from the southern end of the ground where only 13 of the 72 points were scored. If Gloucester were poor in the opening exchanges, conceding four tries in 35 minutes, they were magnificent thereafter, dotting down five times.

The home side had the lead with only ten minutes to go when prop Afolabi Fasogbon scored with a diving splash that would have made Chris Ashton proud. But the home fans’ joy was ripped away from them when fly-half Ross Byrne was harshly penalised for a deliberate knock-on. Anthony Belleau’s penalty under pressure from the left tram proved the difference.

Everyone in attendance got their money’s worth though those with trypophobia might have benefited from a trigger warning at the start. Gloucester’s defence was filled with holes; through midfield, around the fringe and out in the wide channels. All Northampton had to do was run straight off first-phase play.

That’s exactly what Tom Litchfield did on five minutes to get his team going. He wouldn’t score but he provided momentum for Tom Pearson to rumble over from close range. Five minutes later Litchfield had a five-pointer of his own when he gathered a short pass off Rory Hutchinson’s shoulder to slide under the poles.

Gloucester weren’t much better with ball in hand. Their only discernible plan seemed to involve one-off runners and the hope that Tomos Williams could spark something from scrum-half. One bright spark came from winger Ollie Thorley, who ran a lovely angle against the grain off a slick lineout move. But he spilled the ball within touching distance of the try line.

Robbie Smith (centre) shows his relief at the full-time whistle after Northampton secure a narrow win. Photograph: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK/Shutterstock

Another quick double strike after the half hour seemed to put the game to bed. A scrum 45 metres out didn’t carry any obvious threat but Hutchinson exploded through a gap from first receiver and then fed the supporting Archie McParland on his inside. The bonus point was secured when George Hendy found an edge down the left with a schoolboy show-and-go. He was tackled short of the line but regained his feet to dot down.

At 31-0 some supporters were making an early dash for the bar but those who stayed got to see Cam Jordan burrow over from close range. When the try was awarded after a second look, an ironic cheer rippled around the ground.

They were roaring just after the break when Will Joseph gathered the ball in the left tram around halfway. He stepped infield off his left leg before sending McParland with a dummy. From there he motored away from the chasing Saints to reanimate a crowd whose belief ramped up when first Hendy and then Pearson were yellow-carded for straying offside in the red zone. After sustained pressure against 13 men, James Venter dotted down a converted try that closed the gap to 13.

From there it was one-way traffic until Byrne’s knock-on. Gloucester’s lineout and scrum gained the ascendancy. They took the lead that would have stood the test of time (how often do you see a front-rower cosplay as English rugby’s top try scorer?) but it wasn’t to be. Belleau’s late penalty came like a dagger in the night and Northampton kept possession until the final whistle. A remarkable slugfest ended with both teams providing the other a guard of honour.