Match Centre: Prem Rugby: Gloucester 35-37 Northampton

Northampton Saints escaped Kingsholm with a dramatic 37–35 victory over Gloucester in a rollercoaster Premiership contest.

After storming into a 31–0 lead inside 35 minutes, Saints saw their dominance unravel as Gloucester produced a ferocious comeback. Indiscipline left the visitors down to 13 men at one stage, and it ultimately took a coolly struck penalty from Anthony Belleau in the 72nd minute to seal the win.

Saints came out firing, ruthlessly punishing Gloucester’s sluggish start. Tom Pearson crashed over in the 4th minute, converted by Belleau, and within five minutes Tom Litchfield had added a second to push the lead to 14–0.

Belleau kept the scoreboard moving with a penalty midway through the half before Archie McParland finished a flowing move in the 29th minute. Belleau’s conversion extended the margin to 24–0.

Gloucester’s defensive frailties were exposed again five minutes later when George Hendy crossed, Belleau once again on target for a 31–0 advantage.

Just before halftime, Gloucester finally found a foothold. Cam Jordan muscled over in the 40th minute and Ross Byrne converted at added minutes, sending the teams into the break at 31–7.

Gloucester carried that momentum into the restart. Will Joseph darted through in the 42nd minute, Byrne converting to narrow the gap to 31–14. Though Belleau’s penalty at 45 minutes briefly steadied Saints at 34–14, their discipline soon disintegrated.

George Hendy was sin-binned in the 48th minute, and just three minutes later Tom Pearson followed him. With Saints down to 13, Gloucester surged. James Venter scored in the 52nd minute, Byrne converting to 21–34.

Jordan added his second try on 61 minutes, converted again, and Saints’ woes deepened when Tom Lockett was yellow-carded in the 63rd minute.

Scenting an upset, Gloucester struck once more through Afolabi Fasogbon in the 68th minute. Byrne’s conversion gave the Cherry and Whites a shock 35–34 lead.

But the game had one last twist. Byrne himself was shown yellow in the 71st minute, and almost immediately Belleau punished the infringement with a nerveless penalty in the 72nd. That kick edged Saints ahead 37–35, and despite Gloucester’s late pressure, they held on.