Northampton vs Exeter - Sunday

[Puja]

Northampton: Furbank; Skosan, Proctor, Dingwall (capt), Collins; Grayson, Mitchell; Iyogun, Haywood, Painter, Ribbans, Ratuniyarawa, Coles, Matavesi, Wilkins.

Replacements: Fish, Waller, Hill, Moon, Nansen, Tonks, James, Francis.

Exeter: Hodge; Woodburn, Whitten, Hendrickson, O'Flaherty; J Simmonds (capt), S Maunder; Hepburn, Innard, Schickerling, Kirsten, Jenkins, Ewers, Capstick, Grondona.

Replacements: Yeandle, Kenny, Street, Pearson, Norey, J Maunder, H Skinner, Cordero.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

[Puja]

Big game in the race for the playoffs. Exeter are 5th and Northampton 9th, but there's only 4 league points between them (and Saints have a game in hand). With 6th and 7th playing each other as well and 4th place Glaws having to go away to Leicester, a win for Exeter would give them the whip hand amongst the midtable pack and leave Northampton struggling to keep in the race. A loss, on the other hand, would see them pulled right back into the morass, losing at least one place in the table and potentially going all the way down to 9th if results go against them.

Puja

[Adam_P]

A very make shift back row for Saints. Knew Harrison, Ludlam and Wood were injured but thought we had Augustus. Not ideal. Glad Iyogun starts again, he was good last week and carried well. Nice to see Grayson actually selected too.

[Banquo]

A very make shift back row for Saints. Knew Harrison, Ludlam and Wood were injured but thought we had Augustus. Not ideal. Glad Iyogun starts again, he was good last week and carried well. Nice to see Grayson actually selected too.

I worry about for Coles at 6; he's a very promising lock! Tough game, but Exeter were pretty poor 14 man Falcons.

[Puja]

This is a great game - Northampyon are playing some lovely stuff and Mitchell is having the run of the pitch. Iyogun is having a field day at the scrums to show just how far he's come along since those early games where he was chucked in at the deep end - Northampton have just shoved Exeter off their own ball so comprehensively that Augustus was able to pick up at 8 and walk over unopposed.

28-17 to Saints at 50 minutes - they were 13-17 down at half time!

Puja

[Puja]

TMO has just failed to give an Exeter try which was as clear as you can possibly hope for - said he couldn't see a conclusive grounding, unlike everybody else with eyes. If they lose by <6, Exeter will be fuming.

Puja

[Puja]

Another comeback by Exeter and a second victory secured by a last minute penalty in two weeks. Lucky/canny beggars and they're right up in the playoff race now.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Very enjoyable game. Some cracking tries and plenty of good individual performances.

Exe denied a perfectly good try by an inexcusably bad TMO call. You can forgive officials making an error when they have to make an instant decision but not when they have the time to review multiple replays.

[Adam_P]

Well that's frustrating. I feel like the game changed when we changed our front row. Manny should have stayed on for longer, was having a great game. Waller is a liability days and has been for some time.

Glad Grayson had a decent game.

[Puja]

Well that's frustrating. I feel like the game changed when we changed our front row. Manny should have stayed on for longer, was having a great game. Waller is a liability days and has been for some time.

Glad Grayson had a decent game.

Agreed - it was almost instant that, when the subs came on, the scrum direction reversed. Iyogun's turning into a fine player.

Puja

[Banquo]

The game totally turned on Mitchells yellow. And even then Saints tried to force a win with an iffy backs call which backfired.

Great game to watch live- Joe Simmonds was excellent.