Six-try Bristol end Northampton’s unbeaten start

The Prem.

Bristol (35) 46

Cons: Worsley 5 Pens: Worsley 2 Cons: Marmion 2, Jordan, Ravouvou, Boshoff, Ivanishvili

Northampton (0) 12

The visitors suffered their first Prem defeat of the season at buzzing Ashton Gate as an unstoppable Bristol Bears defeated second-placed Northampton Saints in a fiery Ashton Gate victory.

As the Saints reeled after being reduced to 14 men, Kieran Marmion scored a quick double from close range either side of Tom Jordan’s effort after Edoardo Todaro was sent off early in the 20th minute.

After half-time, the Bears took a 35-0 lead with Kalaveti Ravouvou’s opportunistic effort before Aidan Boshoff’s score gave them a fourth.

When Todaro was sent to the bench for 20 minutes for a risky tackle on Sam Worsley in the air, the match had just about begun.

The Saints immediately took the lead and only a few seconds later conceded their first try.

Marmion capitalized on subpar defending with a close tap-and-go, which they soon conceded.

Joe Batley was repelled in the visitors’ 22, but Marmion sent the ball wide to Jordan, who picked a perfect line to score unaffected.

With Saints unable to stop the scoring, Bristol were dominant and could have scored a third.

Harry Thacker ran up the line within inches of the Bristol players’ offloading in a delightful midfield move. Marmion was free to pick up at the base and dot down for his second due to the number of Saints players who were involved in hauling him down and other players struggling to get into position.

Northampton remained submerged and were grateful when Thacker’s try was rejected for offside in the build-up, returning to their full complement with Todaro’s return.

Saints were exposed once more at the half-hour mark, unable to gain any kind of foothold.

Fin Smith was hacked in the tackle by Benhard Janse van Rensburg, allowing Ravouvou to outscore everyone and score Bristol’s bonus-point try following a Northampton scrum.

In the second half, Saints chose the latter route because he had no other choice but to completely capitulate or engage in combat.

The visitors made a rare foray into the Bristol 22 by extending the ball’s reach long enough to spring Van der Mescht from close range.

Before Ivanishvili powered over from a driving maul as the clock ticked down, George Furbank’s kick through was then recovered by Litchfield for the Saints.

After the game, Kieran Marmion, who scored two tries for the Bears, addressed BBC Radio Bristol:

“We’ve spent a good deal of time training,” he said. We started off strong, scored a few tries, and performed exceptionally well in the first half.

When you are so far ahead, it’s always difficult because you want to be so far ahead, right? At half-time, we discussed setting things back. They came out and played some more, which is a good thing because we came out and won the game.

“I believe that as a whole, we placed ourselves in good positions and got results.” We’ll examine it again next week and try to do the same.

After the game, Northampton Saints’ director of rugby, Phil Dowson, addressed BBC Radio Northampton:

It was incredibly disappointing. We have some very poor memories of performances here, and we just added another one to that list because I detest this stadium a lot.

In a league like this, you’re going to be found out because we didn’t get anything right, we didn’t start with any effort, we didn’t start with any aggression, etc.

Oghre, Lahiff, Halliwell, Owen, Ivanishvili, Wolstenholme, Rees-Zammit, and Boshoff are the replacements.

Northampton: Furbank (c), Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Iyogun, Wright, Davison, Prowse, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Graham, Chick, Todaro, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield, Litchfield,

Smith, West, Kundiona, Benson, Pearson, James, Hutchinson, and Pater are the replacements.

Todaro, the Red Card.