Bristol Bears 46 Northampton Saints 12: Tom Vickers' review and player ratings

Because again they saw Northampton Saints roll into town to take on their team, and again they saw Northampton Saints easily dismissed.

They will most likely have known the opposition were previously unbeaten in the Gallagher PREM, sitting joint top of the table at the time of kick-off.

They will most likely have known the opposition were Champions Cup finalists just last season.

And they most likely have known that the opposition were PREM champions just last year.

But yet again, the Northampton Saints side they played at Ashton Gate on Saturday night was a sad shadow of itself.

Just as was the case in March 2023 when they suffered their record PREM defeat, losing 62-8 at Ashton Gate.

And just as was the case in March 2024 when they again shipped a half-century of points to lose 52-21 at Ashton Gate.

Trips to Bristol, as lovely a city as it is and as fine a setting as Ashton Gate is, have turned into truly tortuous experiences for Saints.

They often haven’t been able to go there with close to their best team since they last won a league game at Bristol in November 2021.

But that could not be used as an excuse for this.

This brutal evisceration.

This Saturday night on which the final whistle was the only solace.

Because while Saints were clearly underpowered - they were missing 13 due to injury and four due to post-autumn internationals rest - Bristol were, too.

And while Saints seemed like a shell of themselves, Bristol looked buoyant, refusing to show any sign of weakness.

Credit must be given where it’s due, and the hosts were hugely impressive, in their energy, in their intent, in their intensity and in their execution, refusing to give Saints so much as a sniff during a first half in which they racked up an astonishing, eye-watering 35 unanswered points.

Yes, Saints were down to 14 men from the second minute to the 22nd as Edoardo Todaro saw red for taking Sam Worsley out in the air.

But how many times in the past have Saints battened down the hatches with a man disadvantage and actually used a siege mentality to not only survive but to thrive?

That didn’t happen here, though.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

They were sluggish and all at sea as they shipped three tries before being restored to a full complement.

And it just kept getting worse as they continued to take serious punishment, from Bristol and from referee Ian Tempest.

Before the game, you would have felt Saints could get on top in the tight, with the power and ability of men such as Manny Iyogun, Trevor Davison, JJ van der Mescht and Callum Chick.

But it was the opposite there, too.

Bristol were the ones who dominated in the physicality stakes.

And you knew that if they could do that, they would be so hard to stop, with the likes of Kalaveti Ravouvou and Benhard Janse van Rensburg getting the ball they needed to deliver.

In contrast, the likes of George Furbank, who was a shining light for Saints, and Fin Smith barely got any telling possession in the home 22.

Bristol were missing men such as Ellis Genge, Harry Randall and AJ MacGinty, but up stepped Jake Woolmore, Kieran Marmion and Sam Worsley.

And even when the Bears lost Jack Bates and Tom Jordan to injury early in the game, they refused to let it disrupt them as they somehow kept their fluency and their foot on the gas.

The Bears didn’t miss their stars, but Saints so badly missed theirs.

How they needed the athleticism of Alex Coles, the breakdown menace of Henry Pollock and the magic of Alex Mitchell.

How they needed the stability of Fraser Dingwall and the skill of Tommy Freeman.

Because the players asked to fill those sizeable boots found it so tough at the top on this occasion as rampant Bristol ran riot.

Saints did steady themselves slightly after the break, but it was far too little, too late.

And even the last 20 minutes of the match felt like such a frustration as the away side couldn’t get attacks to stick to give them a chance to claim a try bonus point.

It meant they again headed home from Bristol without a league point to their name.

And it means that, with some of those international stars back in the mix, they badly need a boost this week.

But what they also need is to find a solution to their momentum problem.

Because even though overall they have made an impressive start to the league season, they have found themselves submerged for too long without reply in matches.

It cost them a win on the opening day against Exeter as they shipped 26 unanswered second-half points.

It almost cost them a win at Gloucester as they conceded 35 points during a period in which they scored just three.

And now it finally has seen them defeated as those 35 unanswered first-half points left them with a huge mountain to climb at Ashton Gate.

Of course, big players make a big difference in such moments.

They know how to put a spanner in the works of the opposition, as strong Saints sides did in the seesaw league wins against Leicester and Saracens.

And Saints will know that unless they avoid the in-game slides now, they will face more uphill battles in the weeks to come as they take on some of the PREM and Champions Cup elite.

How they rated…

GEORGE FURBANK - the skipper was a shining light on a gloomy evening for Saints. Set up a try with a lovely kick and showed his class on a few occasions… 7

EDOARDO TODARO - was on the field for little more than a minute as, just six days after making his Italy debut, he suffered a far more unhappy experience, being hit with a 20-minute red card

TOM LITCHFIELD - etched his name on the scoresheet before his night came to a premature end as he had to come off late on with what Saints will hope is not an injury… 5

TOBY THAME - tried to get in the game but this was a tough test against a buzzing Bristol side and one second-half knock-on under pressure summed up how difficult the opposition made this… 4.5

AMENA CAQUSAU - was so sharp during the first half at Leicester eight days earlier but found this much tougher as Bristol made the pitch look huge at times… 4.5

FIN SMITH - was clearly targeted by Bristol as they stopped him playing with some brutal but fair tackles, including one that earned the home team a try. Couldn’t really get in the game as Saints struggled to get any possession in good areas… 4.5

ARCHIE McPARLAND - a really tough night for the England A youngster as little went right, with his decision-making and execution not sharp on this occasion… 4

MANNY IYOGUN - came off after 27 minutes as the referee warned him for Saints conceding three early scrum penalties. Will have far better days than this… 4

CRAIG WRIGHT - looked really hungry to make an impact, having done that during the second half at Leicester in the previous match, but his efforts weren’t rewarded… 4.5

TREVOR DAVISON - was left bemused by one scrum call on a night when Saints didn’t get much in that area… 4.5

ED PROWSE - did what he could to try to disrupt Bristol at lineout time but it wasn’t easy for Saints’ big second row forwards in open play… 4.5

JJ VAN DER MESCHT - grabbed his third try in two matches with a trademark close-range finish but it was tough against a Bristol team that moved the ball at lightning speed… 5

JOSH KEMENY - made a huge tackle on his own line and looked to be physical when he got the chance… 5.5

SAM GRAHAM - won what was the only breakdown penalty Saints got on the night and showed some fire and desire before coming off… 5

CALLUM CHICK - made a couple of big carries but with the Saints players struggling to get on the same wavelength as each other, he found himself isolated once or twice… 5

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

RORY HUTCHINSON (for Todaro 22) - like Fin Smith, he was subjected to some big hits but he brushed them off as he tried to make things happen, and he also made a key tackle to stop what looked likely to be a certain try… 5.5

TOM WEST (for Iyogun 27) - did help to steady the ship for Saints at scrum time but was unfortunate to suffer an injury from the final play of the game against a big Bristol drive… 6

CLEOPAS KUNDIONA (for Davison 52) – tried to put himself about and even delivered a nice pass to keep one promising move going… 6

TOM PEARSON (for Graham 52) – looked to add his physicality to the mix but it was still a frustrating end to the game for Saints… 6

CHRON STAR MAN - Benhard Janse van Rensburg (Bristol Bears)