Late try sees Saints hit Saracens’ play-off hopes

Gallagher Premiership

Northampton (7) 28

Tries: Kemeny, Haffar 2, Cons: Smith, Hutchinson 2

Saracens (19) 24

Tarek Haffar’s last-second try saw reigning Premiership champions Northampton Saints beat Saracens 28-24 and strike a huge blow to Sarries’ play-off hopes.

Josh Kemeny’s early try for Saints was cancelled out by a close-range Tom Willis score and a well-worked Juan Martin Gonzalez try before Elliot Daly added a third.

Rotimi Segun got the bonus-point try early in the second period before Saints replacement Haffar got one back as the hosts spurned a number of good chances to add to their tally.

Saints ensured a barnstorming finish as they earned a penalty-try after Andy Onyeama-Christie pulled down a maul – and Haffar went over as the clock ticked over the 80-minute mark to secure a great comeback.

Saints restored most of their regular starting line-up after resting them for the trip to lowly Exeter last week, as Saracens returned to Franklin’s Gardens for the first time since losing there in the Premiership semi-final last season.

Fin Smith’s grubber kick was picked up by Kemeny who just had enough momentum to cross the Sarries line in the eighth minute to put the hosts in front.

But Saracens replied almost instantly as Willis forced his way over after a period of pressure following a close-range lineout.

The try count was doubled midway through the half when a lovely passing move was set alight when Elliot Daly broke through the Saints line and set Gonzalez on his way in the right corner.

It looked as thought the win would be a routine one for Saracens when the bonus point was sealed, as Segun got on the end of a five-pass move from right to left from a lineout, especially when Saints had a try ruled out five minutes later when replays showed Alex Coles lost control of the ball as he dived in the corner.

But the hosts grew in confidence as Yaffar scored from close range after an hour before Tom Seabrook missed a golden chance two minutes later as he chased down a kick towards the corner but missed picking up the ball after Ivan van Zyl had slipped.

Saints ended up not regretting those missed chances as they scored twice in the final eight minutes.

Northampton: Ramm; Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Hutchinson, Litchfield; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Mayanavanua, Lockett, Coles, Kemeny, Pollock.

Replacements: Wright, Haffar, Millar Mills, Prowse, Scott-Young, Weimann, Garside, Seabrook

Saracens: Goode; Elliott, Daly, Tompkins, Segun; Burke, van Zyl; Mawi, George, Riccioni, Itoje (capt), Isiekwe, Gonzalez, Earl, Willis.

Replacements: Dan, Brantingham, Clarey, Tizard, McFarland, Onyeama-Christie, Bracken, Hall.

Yellow card: Onyeama-Christie (72)