Saints 17 - Sarries 24

A disappointing match best describes this.  While a bonus point from an away match is always worthwhile, you can't help feeling that we could, and should, have won this.  Sarries never looked like scoring a try, all their points came from the boot of Derick Hougaard.  The Saints scored one try in the dying minute to get the bonus, but looked like scoring many more.

So what went wrong?  Too many penalties given away, including two yellow cards.  Playing for 20 minutes with only 14 players and not giving away a try is, in some ways, a very positive outcome - but it also makes it almost impossible to win.  Discipline has been a problem for the Saints before, and it doesn't look as though they have learnt.

Certainly not the best day for the ref, David Pearson.  He was late arriving after getting caught in a traffic jam.  This lead to a rather rushed start with the teams not getting a proper briefing.  Then he was rather inconsistent with his decisions, and it is easy to think that he favoured the Sarries.  However, we have had problems with Pearson before.  In reality I suspect that it isn't him favouring the other team, more that he expects the Saints to infringe.  This is a problem once you get a reputation.  The ref will be looking out more and the 50:50 calls are more likely to go against you.

While Sarries didn't look like scoring a try, it is worth mentioning Hougaards drop goal.  Long distance in the rain and it was a beauty.

Scorers:
Saints -  Try: Digger; Pen:  TinTin (4)
Sarries - Pen: Hougaard (7); Drop Goal: Hougaard