Chris Ashton sent off as Saints crush Worcester
Chris Ashton was sent off in the 49th minute as Worcester’s nightmare season continued with a crushing 62-14 defeat to Northampton at Sixways.
The former England wing had earlier scored a Worcester try but his charge into a ruck saw his forearm make contact with an opponent’s head to pick up a red card.
His departure sealed Worcester’s fate as they fell to their 14th consecutive defeat, and they remain rooted to the bottom of the Gallagher Premiership table.
Ollie Sleightholme scored four tries for rampant Saints with George Furbank, Piers Francis, David Ribbans and Alex Mitchell grabbing the others. There was also a penalty try award, with James Grayson kicking a penalty and six conversions.
Ashton and Chris Pennell scored Worcester’s tries, with Billy Searle and Fin Smith each adding a conversion.
Northampton suffered a severe blow when their Wales international Dan Biggar withdrew from the starting line-up with a minor leg injury picked up in training but they soon overcame that setback to take a third-minute lead.
Familiar decade-old heartache for Munster, repetitive joy for Leinster. No wonder Leo Cullen sounded off about red-eyed pundits who had read the room completely wrong#LEIvMUN #PRO14https://t.co/j59Q3avugI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 27, 2021
Scrum-half Mitchell darted away to provide a sweetly-timed pass to Furbank, who burst clean through the home defence to score.
Worcester came close when Perry Humphreys was held up over the line but Francois Hougaard knocked on at the resulting scrum which enabled Saints to relieve the pressure.
A strong run from Matt Kvesic provided some impetus to Warriors’ play and the try-line beckoned only for Ollie Lawrence to go it alone and the chance was lost.
Northampton then suffered two setbacks in quick succession.
First they lost centre Rory Hutchinson, who was injured in tackling Lawrence, and then they conceded a try when the home backs combined well to send Ashton flying over in the corner.
Searle converted before Grayson put his side back in front with a straightforward penalty but Saints’ injury woes continued when Furbank limped off.
Lawrence and number eight Joe Batley both make excellent 40-metre runs into the opposition 22 but Worcester showed their perpetual failing in not being able to make it count and the visitors made them pay.
Skilful handling sent Sleightholme flying down the right flank and he brushed off some weak tackling to score, with Grayson’s conversion giving Northampton a 15-7 interval lead.
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 27, 2021
That advantage was extended two minutes after the restart as Saints scored a brilliant third try when quick passing sent Tommy Freeman away before the wing kicked in-field for Mitchell to collect and score.
Ashton was then sent off to end any hopes of a Worcester comeback, with Sleightholme scoring his second for the bonus point.
Saints temporarily lost their number eight Teimana Harrison to the sin-bin for a high challenge but it made no difference as Worcester conceded another try to Francis.
Francois Venter then deliberately knocked on to concede a penalty try and pick up a yellow card before Ribbans crossed, with Sleightholme taking his tally to four with two late tries to complete an embarrassing afternoon for Worcester.
Pennell had the final say with a last-minute try for Warriors.
Comments on RugbyPass
Speell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
5 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
6 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to comments