However, but for the second half blip up at Newcastle you have to say it is a fair showing so far.

Saturday's game down at Watford might have ended in defeat but there was certainly no disgrace. We are still finding our feet and you could not fault the lads for their effort.

An early storm was weathered and then Saints gradually came back into it, and despite being heavily outweighed in terms of possession, we might have had a healthy lead going into the final quarter but for a couple of slipped chances.

Ultimately a few minutes of madness was our undoing. Under great pressure from Sarries, first Ben Foden then Dylan Hartley were sent to the sin bin after referee Martin Fox deemed both had interfered with play.

At least one of those binnings was arguable at least, but it gave Saracens the breathing space they needed to put some light between themselves and us.

To be fair, overall you would have to say on the day the best side won, but for the effort alone Saints were worth at least a losing bonus point.

It was not until we were down on numbers that the defence cracked and Saracens' players remarked we had given them the hardest game of the season so far.

Sarries' coach Eddie Jones, not a man to over-enthuse about the opposition in the past, commented: "You've got to give a lot of credit to Northampton.

"They scrapped and fought hard at the tackle contest. Jim Mallinder is doing an excellent job with them and they are a side that fight very hard."

Jones also commented on our overall fitness, testament to Nick Johnston's regime – I wonder how many years he puts us behind the big boys of the GP now?