Saints 57 - 10 Wasps: Northampton thrash Wasps to ease into LV=Cup semi finals
Pictures by Linda Dawson
SAINTS eased into the LV= Cup semi-finals with a eight-try 57-10 thrashing of Wasps at Franklin’s Gardens.
There were first club tries for Andy Long, James Craig and Noah Cato, who got two, with Jamie Elliott grabbing a brace, Alex Waller touching down and the pack winning a penalty try as Saints dominated from start to finish.
Saints needed five points to secure their place in the last four and that was done within the hour.
Sky Sports pundit Stuart Barnes said Saints had devolved into just a scrum this week and it was the scrum that got the home side their first points as they shoved Wasps back 5m to win a penalty. From right in front Myler made it 3-0 after five minutes.
They then proceeded to dimiss Barnes’
Wasps fly-half Will Robinson missed a chance from the right touchline to draw the visitors level.
Saints fluffed a try-scoring chance on 13 minutes after an inside pass from Myler sent Paul Diggin arrowing to within 10m and he offloaded to Soane Tonga’uiha, who sent Brian Mujati to within inches of the line.
They were queuing up on the left wing to score but a misunderstanding between Myler and Downey saw the Irishman spill the ball a metre short. Then a fantastic offload from George Pisi saw Christian Day bundled into touch a metre short again.
Christian Davies went off with a cut after 15 minutes for England’s Joe Simpson and for good later, but three minutes later Saints had their first try. Myler kicked a penalty to the corner and Roger Wilson broke off the drive to get Saints going. Martin Roberts was stopped on the line and Andy Long picked up to dive over for his first try for the club in only his third start in three years at the club.
Saints were getting quick ball and breaking through tackles all over the place, but following a 30m Martin Roberts break Myler’s miss-pass to a wide open Ben Nutley went over his head. But referee Dean Richards came back for a penalty that James Craig tapped to catch Wasps sleeping to score his first try for the club. Myler missed the conversion but Saints were already 15-0 ahead after 27 minutes.
The Wasps scrum was going backwards faster than a shopping trolley downhill, but Russian No.8 Victor Gresev still managed to pick up and set up an attack that brought a penalty for Will Robinson to get the visitors on the scoreboard three minutes before the break.
Noah Cato won the restart, though, and Saints scored their third try when Myler’s kick through ricocheted around for Jamie Elliott to catch it and scoot under the posts. Myler converted to make it 22-3 and a place in the semi-finals almost secured at half-time as Robinson mmissed a long rang penalty.
Five minutes into the second half and Saints had twice come close with a lineout drive and Wilson to a fourth try. Another lineout drive got over, but the referee couldn’t see where the ball was.
Replacement prop Simon McIntyre didn’t last long as he was unluckily given a yellow after diving on a ball that looked like it had bounced out of a ruck, but the referee disagreed and sent him to the bin.
With a prop in the bin, the fourth try finally came from a lineout drive, though Saints didn’t get over as Wasps pulled it down on the line and referee Richards ran under the posts. Myler converted to make it 29-3. Job done Tonga’uiha and Mujati were taken off.
McIntyre returned to the action, but it made no difference as the scrum was marched back and Noah Cato was able to grab his first try for the club in the corner.
Myler converted Saints’ fifth try from the touchline to make it 36-3.
Tom May came off the bench to send a lovely offload to Elliott while being tackled by two Wasps and the winger cut inside for his second try. Myler made it 41-3.
With 11 minutes to go and the snow coming down the stands started to empty.
Wasps scrum-half Simpson made his point to England with a fantastic score, breaking off a scrum, chipping ahead, collecting and zipping past Diggin to dot down.
Alex Waller was driven over for a seventh try and Myler dropped the conversion to make it 50-10.
And with points difference in mind to secure a home semi, Cato fought his way over for a second try. Myler finished the match by converting from the touchline
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