OTHER SPORT

SAINTS PAY FOR THEIR SINS

Captain Ben Cohen now has to face relegation

Sunday April 29,2007

By Neil Fissier

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BRUCE Reihana's 17-point haul wasn't enough to prevent Northampton slipping through the Premiership's relegation trapdoor.

The former All Black star was at his inspirational best but his side's destiny wasn't in their hands after a disastrous domestic campaign.

Saints have paid the penalty for being unable to reproduce their Heineken Cup form and allowing Worcester Warriors to catch them in the closing straight.

But their all-star line-up should never have found themselves in this mess in the first place but dressing room rifts and poor form means they will be playing the likes of Exeter next season.

Irish, who dominated from the first minute but whose slack handling let them down, opened the scoring after only five minutes.

Topsy Ojo picked the ball up on the halfway line before weaving his around four tacklers on his way to touching down under the posts for a try which Bishop converted.

It wasn't the start that Saints had in mind and they took their time to settle and when they finally did it proved more than effective with a try that was made in New Zealand.

Scrum-half Mark Robinson delayed his pass to Carlos Spencer who ghosted through the gap before offloading to Reihana who crashed over the line.

Reihana converted his own try before edging Saints ahead for the first time with a long-range penalty after 19 minutes but the lead didn't last long.

Three minutes later the visitors regained the lead when Justin Bishop broke down the right leaving Reihana exposed before passing to Seilala Mapusua on his inside to touch down.

Saints' fragile defence, as it has done for most of the season, proved to be their downfall and a major factor in why they have the worst points difference in the Premiership.

But with the ball in hand they look as dangerous as any team in the Premiership and proved it five minutes after the break when they regained the lead. Scotland wing Sean Lamont powered his way across the line from close range after the Irish defence stepped up early, leaving a gap for him to exploit, with Reihana converting.

Reihana, who missed five months of the season with a damaged knee, increased Saints' lead to 20-12 with a penalty.

Irish stepped up a gear and Saints were lucky to escape with an extended period of pressure inside their 22 by conceding a penalty to Nils Mordt.

Saints were not going down without a fight however and Robinson grabbed their third try after 63 minutes, picking up the ball from a base of a ruck to cross under the posts.

Reihana added the conversion from in front of the posts to extend Saints' advantage to 27-15 but it wasn't going to be enough.

Saints' vocal crowd who had given their side such great support were silenced when Mapusua crossed for his second try in the dying seconds.

NORTHAMPTON 27
LONDON IRISH 22