Northampton Saints surged to the top of the Gallagher Premiership table after a powerful 36–19 bonus-point victory over Newcastle Red Bulls at Kingston Park. Despite being reduced to 14 men for 30 minutes after JJ van der Mescht was sin-binned twice, Saints’ attacking flair and composure proved too much for a determined but winless Newcastle side.
The result keeps Northampton unbeaten in four Premiership games under director of rugby Phil Dowson, while Newcastle remain rooted near the bottom of the table, still searching for their first league win since November 2024.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone for Saints
Northampton made a lightning start, crossing for two converted tries inside the first seven minutes. South African lock JJ van der Mescht powered over from close range before Alex Mitchell finished a blistering counterattack, sparked by a burst down the right flank from Tommy Freeman.
Newcastle managed to respond when Oli Spencer collected Brett Connon’s perfectly weighted crossfield kick to score, but the momentum remained firmly with the visitors.
Van der Mescht was sent to the sin bin after 31 minutes for hands in the ruck, allowing Amanaki Mafi to bulldoze over and bring the Red Bulls back to within two points. However, Saints’ attacking structure quickly restored control, as Fin Smith set up Freeman for his side’s third try just before half-time, giving Northampton a 21–12 lead at the break.
Van der Mescht’s Discipline Tested but Saints Stay Composed
Van der Mescht’s night turned turbulent early in the second half when he was shown a second yellow card for a high tackle on Boeta Chamberlain, reducing Saints to 14 men for the remainder of the match.
Newcastle capitalised briefly as replacement hooker Stefan Coetzee scored in the corner with his first touch, narrowing the deficit to 21–19. Yet Northampton refused to panic — instead shifting gears and reasserting dominance through intelligent ball movement and clinical finishing.
Italian winger Edoardo Todaro finished off a superb sweeping move that went through Mitchell and Rory Hutchinson, re-establishing daylight between the sides at 28–19.
A potential leveller for Newcastle was ruled out by the TMO, who spotted a foul tackle by George McGuigan in the build-up to Chamberlain’s disallowed try — a moment that deflated the hosts’ growing momentum.
Coles Seals the Win as Saints Go Top
With Newcastle tiring, Fin Smith added a penalty to extend the lead before Alex Coles stormed through the middle with a 30-yard solo run to seal the victory and secure the bonus point. The win puts Northampton two points clear of reigning champions Bath Rugby, who face Leicester Tigers on Saturday.
Post-Match Reaction
Northampton Director of Rugby Phil Dowson praised his side’s start but acknowledged the need for better discipline:
“We didn’t help ourselves with the penalties. JJ’s yellows made it harder than it should’ve been. But we stuck to our structure, trusted our DNA, and finished strongly.”
Newcastle Head Coach Alan Dickens focused on his team’s improved resilience despite the defeat:
“We were slow out of the blocks, but I’m proud of how the players fought back. The character and effort were outstanding — we’re building cohesion and there were more positives this week.”
Match Summary
Final Score: Newcastle Red Bulls 19–36 Northampton Saints
Tries (Newcastle): Spencer, Mafi, Coetzee
Tries (Northampton): Van der Mescht, Mitchell, Freeman, Todaro, Coles
Conversions: Fin Smith (4)
Penalty: Fin Smith
Key Stats & Highlights
- JJ van der Mescht scored the opening try and was later sin-binned twice.
- Fin Smith contributed 11 points with the boot and set up Freeman’s crucial try.
- Alex Mitchell and Rory Hutchinson combined brilliantly to unlock Newcastle’s defense.
- Saints remain unbeaten in four Premiership matches (three wins, one draw).
- Newcastle’s league winless run extends to 11 months.
Leave a Reply