The Prem
Northampton (31) 59
Tries: Pater 3, Hendy, Freeman 3, Coles, Sleightholme Cons: F Smith 5, Belleau 2
Newcastle (14) 26
Tries: Wade 2, Jordan, Kok Cons: Connon, Henry 2
James Pater and Tommy Freeman ran successful hat-tricks arsenic Northampton Saints kicked disconnected their rubric defence with a comfy 59-26 triumph implicit new-look Newcastle Red Bulls astatine Franklin's Gardens.
Just 3 months aft securing a 2nd Prem rubric against Exeter Chiefs astatine Allianz Stadium, Saints were ascendant against a much-changed Red Bulls broadside who person welcomed 25 caller players done the doorway this summer.
Three tries each for Pater and Freeman and 1 each for George Hendy, Alex Coles and Ollie Sleightholme delivered an emphatic scoreline arsenic Saints, brilliantly conducted by fly-half Smith, ran successful 9 tries.
Yet for each that the scoreline delivered different decision for Newcastle they inactive scored 4 tries and came distant with a losing bonus constituent arsenic they anticipation that, for the archetypal clip successful 5 seasons, they whitethorn not beryllium destined for bottommost spot successful the Prem.
More to follow...
Northampton: Pater, Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy, F Smith, McParland, Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona, Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pollock, Chick
Replacements: R Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, Lockett, Taylor, Mitchell, Belleau, Sleightholme.
Newcastle: Obatoyinbo, Wade, Hearle, Harris, Kok, Connon, Elliott, Rakete-Stones, McGuigan, Millar Mills, Usher, Jordan, Hicks, Christie, Graham.
Replacements: Fletcher, West, Harper, Molina, Leatherbarrow, Cruz, Henry, Sotutu.
Sin bin: Obatoyinbo (14), Rakete-Stones (43)
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe.
English (US)·