Northampton no longer big-game pushovers after gritty Premiership semi-final win (2024)

It’s difficult to lose a semi-final, it always is, but really proud of how we battled. The first half was a really even contest, we probably had more field position and opportunities in their 22 which we didn’t quite take, but it felt very even into half-time. Struggled for field position in the second half, a number of scrum penalties which cost us dearly probably during the game. But like I said, really proud of how we battled through that.

[Northampton] have really grown their game, set-piece really strong, but I think defensively they were outstanding today. It was difficult to get quick ball against them, equally we defended well as well.

I feel quite emotional, really. They’ve been incredible for our club for a very long period of time. The vision was always that they would look back on their time at Saracens and it would be the best time of their lives, and hopefully that’s the case, that they would build friendships and relationships which would last a lifetime. We’ve had some incredible moments with those players and some tough moments as well, and I think the tough moments have made those good moments even better.

So many Saints and Saracens legends, you’ve been speaking to Owen, who are leaving at the end of the season, it’s been an unbelievable turnout and the atmosphere has been brilliant.

It was so tight throughout, you can see that score at the end with two minutes to go that everyone is right on the edge. We dealt with lots of things which they threw at us, they went after us at the breakdown and we just about got over that in the second half. They came after us at the set-piece, the scrum was a mess, lineout we couldn’t get a lot of ball. And I think in the second half we gradually worked into the game and built a bit more pressure, a lot of it was played in the Sarries’ half and we managed to create some opportunities and also kick penalties.

You have to have an all-court game, because on days like this you rely on it. Matt Ferguson and the big boys up front have done a brilliant job all season, changed the perception, and it’s great to see Alex Waller on his last outing be that dominant.

Courtney’s a joke, he’s actually getting better. Not many players go from second-row to back-row, it’s usually the other way. He’s evolving all the time, the way his game has grown, the confidence he gives people in the changing room. I can’t speak highly enough of Courtney.

We played in a semi-final earlier this season and were a bit frustrated in the first 20 minutes. We were in Croke Park against Leinster and didn’t feel we got our game on the pitch. We wanted to do that, and obviously that’s tough against such a good side like Sarries when they’re closing us down at the breakdown, and so we just wanted to express ourselves a bit more.

Maybe the attack we didn’t really get what we normally get, with an unbelievable Saracens defence that’s going to happen in these sorts of games. We talked about being us, all those sorts of things, about not playing the occasion but playing the game. We talked about all the things which got us to this point rather than searching for anything new.

A nice touch, that. He’s now speaking to TNT.

I don’t know, I’m alright. It’s sad that this season is done and done for a few of us here, but we’ll look back on it fondly rather than with these sad times.

It doesn’t feel special when you’re on this end of it, but I imagine it’s a special game.

I don’t know, I’m not sat here analysing the game now, my head’s a bit all over the place. They took their chances and got on top of us in a couple of things. We couldn’t quite get out of our half at times, and when we did we made a couple of mistakes. But we showed enough heart and fight to get ourselves in with a chance and we didn’t quite get there in the end, but that’s the way rugby goes.

Mostly just growing up here, I first came down here when I was 13, remember going to pre-season with my dad that year. I’ve spent most of my life at this club and I’ve loved it.

It’s brilliant isn’t it. When you get to occasions like these and see an atmosphere like this, Northampton fans now getting behind their team for next week, it’s brilliant.

I’ve loved all of it. There have been brilliant times, tough times, but I’ve loved every minute. I’ll take this in over the next couple of days. I’ve probably looked back more in the last couple of weeks than I ever have in my career, which has been strange. And then it goes on, doesn’t it? We’ll look forward to next year after that.

Farrell finishes on 1,750 points for Saracens, astonishing. The next highest is Glen Jackson on 1,192.

Sam Warburton with a warm tribute to Farrell, who then adds: “He is one of the game’s greats. Anyone who can’t see that has very little rugby IQ.”

We have to be grateful for what we’ve had and what we’ve done, and congrats to Northampton, they’re a very good team and we just couldn’t get up.

It’s life isn’t it, everyone moves on. We’ve had a good run and hopefully the boys can get back in the mix next year. Whatever happens with me, happens, but congrats to Northampton.

I don’t know how many penalties we gave away, probably helped them, but also it’s the pressure they put on us and essentially we couldn’t handle the pressure. We came up short.

We’re happy, really happy. Came up against a tough team, a team that knows how to win games like this. To go out there and perform, not at our best but still get the win gives us a lot of confidence.

[On the turnover] Sheer relief to be honest, I was absolutely blowing and dying out there. But it was great to seal off the game.

I was just saying to the boys, we have a job to do next week. It’s not over. This performance doesn’t mean anything if we don’t turn up next week and do a job.

The thing is, we should be expecting to win a game like this, it shouldn’t be a surprise to us. We’re a team who have proven over and over again this season that we can beat the best. So, yeah we should be happy with the win, the last home game of the season. But the important game is next week.

[The scrum] we really targeted that, we knew they would mess around and they did a few times. But once we were able to get them to scrum, we proved what we can do. That’s a massive weapon for us and you have to play to your strengths.

[Still going] I said at an awards dinner this week, I’m not actually that satisfied with what I’ve achieved in rugby yet. I want to keep turning up for the boys and playing my heart out.

[On Farrell] It’s tough but the thing is we’re competitors. He’s a good friend, a great bloke, but don’t get it twisted I was ready to go out there do what it took to win.

[Bath-Sale] We don’t mind, we want to play the best teams and whoever wins out of them we’re happy to take on. All eyes on next week.

We’ll take it easy tonight, we’ll have a couple but nothing much.

We just thought, dig in, find a way. We made it way too tight at the end there. Our defence had chances to keep them out and we managed to do that a bit, but we got the job done.

The main thing this year has been our defence is so much better. Our attack can score tries but our defence, digging in when the games are tight, we’re learning that at the moment and we did it today. We’re really happy.

Any team you face at this stage is going to be tough. We had a few games that we butchered and so did they, those are what win you the game. Whoever we get in the final, we’ll dig in.

It’s been a long time coming. I’ve always wanted to play in these big games. It’s going to be massive and I can’t wait.

All on the restart... 20 seconds left. It’s deep, taken by Willis. Saracens will have to go the whole field.

Dan held up is he... he is! It’s a maul and it’s not coming out, that’s the game! Northampton are going to the final after Lawes, who else, forced the winning turnover!

Heck of a finish, Northampton despite that dominant scrum need to squeeze home at the death. Langdon and Odendaal very good for Northampton as Mitchell wins player of the match.

That’s it for Farrell and the Vunipolas with Saracens. Lawes, Ludlam and Waller get one more game with Northampton next week at Twickenham.

Saracens need so much here - territory, possession, points - and they just don’t seem to have it in them, as Daly slices a clearance into touch.

Lineout won by Northampton, the maul going well, not making much ground but keeping the ball and chewing the clock. Pass to Smith goes through his hands, Ludlam swamped, Northampton sensibly box kick. Daly with a mega step but the pass inside goes to ground. Smith with a kick puts it in touch. Pass to Lozowski was OK but he took his eyes off it.

Poached lineout by Northampton but Saracens earn a scrum (not sure they want one the way the game has gone). That one is cleaner, Van Zyl sending it up high, think it was knocked on by Lewington but play on.

Another score and Saints are safe, you feel, as Van Zyl is done for accidental offside and Northampton get an attacking scrum.

Mawi gets trapped in the breakdown and that’s a Northampton scrum, was trying to milk a penalty there and it didn’t work.

Monster of a scrum by Northampton, instant penalty - is that number five? Smith will go to touch, it’s a lineout on Saracens 22.

Quite absurd from Juan Martín González to chase down Alex Mitchell there. Wow. He had so much ground to cover there. I have been writing a blog entry for about 10 minutes, since before the Alex Lewington try, trying to tell you that it feels as though Saracens are holding on by their fingertips. It really does, but the two Theos – Dan and McFarland – have added impact. Saints have just started to wrestle back momentum now. Fraser Dingwall has led things very well. There will be at least one more twist. You can be sure of that.

Northampton with a knock-on advantage after a tackle by Macfarland - this game starting to open up a bit now.

From a lineout Northampton get the maul going and earn a penalty. Three points here? Surely. Yep, going for the posts.

Alex Waller coming off, what a player for this great club he has been. Everyone in the Gardens on their feet, watched on by his brother Ethan in the stands. 377 games for Northampton.

Smith has... missed it! Oh boy.

Another punishing Northampton scrum but they get it away and go wide to Daly. They just look blunt in the wider channels at the moment, Saracens. Macfarland with a nice touch though on an inside pass, a couple of good runs now from the bench. Great offload by Macfarland to Gonzalez, this is better. Northampton up to 10 phases in defence, pressuring the breakdown.

Farrell with a great dummy, then a grubber, finished so well in the corner by Lewington! Wow, Farrell, that was unreal. Conversion curls in from left to right by Daly, Saracens within three.

Saracens trying to attack off the lineout but Daly knocks on. It’s not happening for the visitors. No scrum pen this time and Saracens defend well, going hard at the breakdown, before Mitchell box kicks.

That one is won well by Daly, Saracens coming to the right. Dan on for George by the way at hooker as Northampton knock on in defence. Saracens complaining about the tackle on Dan but it was one of those which rode up a bit, all good....

Ah, that tackle from Furbank might be less good. Looked like head contact with Dan but only just, seems to be play on.

Referee earning his cheque tonight, as there’s a huge roar around Franklin’s Gardens for the arrival of Lewis Ludlam off the bench, in his final home game before joining Toulon.

Penalty Northampton at the lineout after Saracens slapped the ball down. Isiekwe disrupts another lineout but Coles just about gets it back. Lawes with a big run, Mitchell with a dart. Itoje with a wild tackle, advantage played with Daly under pressure at full-back. Saracens steal it, somehow, run it out of their 22 a bit and then get a penalty for Pearson off feet.

I’m assuming that Itoje tackle will be checked... looks weird but it’s not being checked.

Mako and Billy Vunipola are coming off, that might be their last game in the Premiership and for Saracens. Huge contributors.

Another scrum penalty for Northampton! Riccioni this time - there’s just no way Saracens are grinding out a win here with no platform, and Northampton have them on toast in that area of the set-piece right now.

Lawes claims the lineout at the front, Dingwall crashing up, Smith with a dummy through a gap as they cross into Saracens’ 22, but, it comes loose and Farrell clears long.

Smart from Van Zyl after a mark, taking it quick and basically running into Davison who obvious tackles him. Gains 10 metres.

Kicked high from the free-kick but Freeman takes that well, again. Daly’s turn for a good catch before Van Zyl kicks, missed by Mitchell but fortunately for Northampton there’s a knock-on by Gonzalez. Scrum for Saints, which they’ll be very happy with given its success.

Stunner of a kick from Smith from out wide, what a nudge that is.

So, Northampton right in control of this now. Saracens looked ominous early on but Northampton found a way through and have punished Saracens’ ill-discipline through some excellent goalkicking.

Saracens will have the wind in the second half but that’s a handy lead, and they haven’t really produced much in attack to test Northampton defensively. A try for the hosts after the break and Saracens might be out of it. See you in a bit.

Thought there was a forward pass in that Saracens counter but it’s fine, as Northampton win a penalty and go to the corner. But, once more, Northampton’s defence forces a turnover, they kick long through Pearson, and Daly knocks on trying to trap a rolling ball. That’s a killer but what a chance now for Northampton.

Saracens complaining about a stray hand in the ruck but no referral.

Mitchell with a long box kick, which Daly can’t mark as he steps back into the 22. Cinti almost bundled into touch but Saracens somehow keep that going, and Van Zyl clears.

Saints working hard to thwart Saracens’ breakdown threat at most of the rucks, as Mitchell sends up another box kick... which is won by Freeman! Such a plus having his height on the wing for those kicks, so good in that area.

And now a Northampton penalty as Saracens go off their feet. Posts? Northampton opt for a shot.

That’s lifted the ground and forced Saracens to reset. Long kicking spell ends with a Saracens lineout on halfway.

Not straight at the lineout from Jamie George... no, sorry, he dummied and then threw it in, so it’s a free-kick. Smith sends up a bomb and Lewington takes it well. Van Zyl clears with a box kick, bizarrely it drops and while Northampton get it back, Saracens pounce for a turnover penalty.

No need for Northampton to panic yet, because are shaping up for a Toulouse-esque defensive effort with this tackle count. Gaps will appear.

Seven phases though and they don’t get very far, leading to a Mitchell box kick. Taken by Daly, passed to Cinti but his kick goes straight to Furbank and Northampton counter.

Outside the Saracens 22, Langdon with a good run over that 22. Kept alive, Odendaal slipped through a gap by Furbank and that’s what they can do! Saracens leave the slightest gap and Saints cut them open for the first try. Smith converts.

Penalty goes Northampton’s way, against Riccioni for collapsing. Waller loving life, pointing the finger. Northampton get out of their 22.

Claimed at the front by Lawes, maul collapses. Saracens defence waiting to pounce and they force a knock-on - but it came forward off a Saracens’ hand first. Saints’ scrum.

And a first scrum free-kick against Northampton, although, Daly has just booted that out on the full, which gives Saints a lineout just outside Saracens’ 22.

Big hit from Billy on Pearson and Earl follows up with the turnover; excellent defence. Saracens clear.

But pretty sure I’ve just heard a Kanye West deep cut from 2007 on the stadium playlist. Wasn’t expecting that.

Both sides steaming through their warm-ups, not long to go.

Analysis from Charlie Morgan on the common strike move which Northampton have taken and made so effective.

Saints steeled themselves last summer with specialised conditioning and collective weight gain across the squad, but have stayed true to their traditional identity. They remain an intrepid attacking force, yet one of their most potent weapons is a strike move used by sides all around the world.

Hard to imagine him without Saracens and Saracens without him. As Charlie Morgan reports, Farrell’s hungry.

McCall said: “Everyone can tell he is ‘at it’ and ‘on it’ and that makes everyone feel good, I think. We have had great leaders; Brad Barritt was here today, one of the great leaders of this club and we have been lucky to have those two as captains.”

Great feature this week from Dan Schofield with Sam Graham, Northampton’s back-row who used to work as a chef at England’s training base.

In his first pre-season at Northampton, former England captain Dylan Hartley dropped by training to say hello to a few friends and recognised Graham from his days at Pennyhill. “He came into the kitchen and asked to borrow a knife for some social thing,” Graham says. “I am amazed that he remembered that.”

See who we’ve picked to make it to Twickenham. Personally, I’m leaning towards Saracens-Bath. As one writer said about tonight’s game:

In this match, two things are certain: Northampton will score tries; Saracens will not roll over.

The old play-off format, going way back to 2003-05, saw first place advance straight to the Premiership final with second facing third to join them. Should that format return? Charles Richardson certainly thinks so.

Finishing first has often been a poisoned chalice – only five sides have lifted the trophy after doing so – and Northampton’s “anti-reward” is a semi-final showdown with Saracens on Friday night.

The first of two very enjoyable semi-finals is about an hour away from starting, with table-topping Northampton hosting six-time Premiership winners Saracens at Franklin’s Gardens. Now, not to be negative, but for all of Northampton’s brilliant progress this season as a defensive force to go with an already blistering attack, there is just something about Saracens being the underdog in a play-off game, even coming off some patchy form to finish the regular season, which doesn’t quite sit right. Especially given the emotional magnitude of this potentially being the final game in a Saracens shirt for Owen Farrell and the Vunipola brothers.

Not that this is an emotion-free night for Northampton, far from it. Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam and Alex Waller, illustrious players for the club, could also be playing their final game for Saints. Without question they have been the best team to watch in the Premiership this year, marshalled brilliant at half-back by Alex Mitchell with Fin Smith, who was notably named Player’s Player of the Year at the RPA Awards in London on Wednesday night.

Fittingly, it is 10 years today since Northampton defeated Saracens in extra-time at Twickenham to win their first and only Premiership title so far (honestly, what even is time, that feels like five minutes ago). If you are going to have to face Saracens in the play-offs, then this year is probably as good as any given their recent form. Look for Saracens to attack Northampton’s lineout and therefore disrupt their attacking platforms and limit the impact of Ollie Sleightholme, the league’s top try scorer on 14. And you can also expect a scrap upfront given that both sides have gone with six-two splits on the bench.

All that considered, we should get a very fun 80 minutes. Stick around for all the build-up.