Battling Saints too strong for Saracens

STEELY defence and the ability to strike when the opportunity presented itself underpinned this landmark Saints win.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Northampton are fast banishing their reputation of being sublime attackers but slightly flaky in defence. They have tightened up, toughened up and it takes no stretch of the imagination seeing them heavily involved right at the business end of this season.

A cat-and-mouse first half was very much a battle of wills, whether it be who blinked first in the obligatory game of kick tennis – the teams amassed 43 between them before half-time – or who would lose concentration and intensity in the defensive line.

For Saints it presented a big test. Everybody knows they can match any team when it comes to trying to score, but they need to improve at the nitty gritty. Could they hack it? Answer yes, and for the full 80 minutes.

Initially they enjoyed the best of the territory but didn’t lose heart when the Saracens defence refused to crack. These things take time