Northampton thrash Bath 71-48 in 18-try Premiership feast

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 10 Oct, 18:00 · Archive

Northampton and Bath combined for 18 tries and 119 points in the second-highest scoring match in Premiership history, with Northampton winning 71-48.

Northampton and Bath combined for 18 tries in a 71-48 victory for the defending Premiership champions at Franklin's Gardens, the second-highest scoring match in the league's history. Ollie Sleightholme scored three tries for Northampton, with Tommy Freeman adding two. Bath crossed for seven tries but ended comfortably beaten.

Northampton struck first after seven minutes when fly-half Fin Smith scored. Bath responded quickly with tries from Tom Carr-Smith and Charlie Griffin, with fly-half Finn Russell converting. Northampton levied back through Freeman, and despite Bath's Josh Bayliss being sin-binned, the visitors kept pace. Archie Griffin and Kepu Tuipulotu scored for Bath to keep the match competitive early on.

The contest was marked by attacking intensity and defensive lapses. Both fly-halves, Smith and Russell, showcased their attacking abilities, and the Guardian notes that 69 defenders were beaten across the 80 minutes. The high-scoring affair raised questions about the state of Premiership rugby and its distance from international standards, where such attacking play would be punished.

How it is being reported

• Northampton beat Bath in chaotic 18-try, 119-point classicNorthampton Saints ran riot to defeat Bath 71-48 in the second highest-scoring Gallagher Prem game in history.Sky Sports · 10 Oct, 19:00
• Northampton thump Bath in astonishing 18-try Prem ding-dongNorthampton 71-48 Bath: Ollie Sleightholme ran in a hat-trick in the second highest-scoring game in league historyIndependent Sport · 10 Oct, 17:47
• Sleightholme hat-trick fires up Northampton in 11-try blitz of BathPrem Rugby: Northampton 71-48 Bath Second-highest scoring match (119) in league’s history Chalk this up as a victory for the Northampton Knicks. In a remarkable match in which 18 tries were scored, 119 points racked up and defence relegated to the merest of afterthoughts, the defending Prem champions eventually romped home. Ollie Sleightholme helped himself to a hat-trick and Tommy Freeman two of Northampton’s 11, in what goes down as the second-highest scoring match in the league’s history, behind only Saints’ 94-33 win over Bristol in May. Continue reading...Guardian Sport · 10 Oct, 17:22

In this story: Northampton Saints · Bath · Ollie Sleightholme · Tommy Freeman · Fin Smith · Finn Russell · Franklin's Gardens

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