Northampton beat Saracens to keep playoff hopes alive

Northampton kept their Premiership play-off hopes alive on Saturday, taking full advantage of Duncan Taylor's early red card to beat an already under-strength Saracens side 38-29.

Northampton's win over the league leaders lifts them to fourth place in the table with just an away fixture with Newcastle to come but they can be overtaken by the chasing pack, who have more than one game to play.

Saracens named only three first-choice players in their starting line-up at Franklin's Gardens and Northampton received a further boost when Taylor was sent off for a high shot on Fin Smith in the seventh minute.

Despite having the numerical advantage for much of the game, Northampton were made to work hard before finally claiming an eighth consecutive home victory in the Premiership as well as bringing an end to Saracens' run of six successive wins at Franklin's Gardens.

Bonus point in the bag ??@RoryJHutchinson goes over for @SaintsRugby for the first try of the second half ??

Watch live on @btsportrugby ??#GallagherPrem | #NORvSAR pic.twitter.com/dS5hqLFX4a

— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) April 15, 2023

HARLEQUINS DISPATCH NEWCASTLE

Alex Moon, Lewis Ludlam, Tommy Freeman, Rory Hutchinson, Smith and Fraser Dingwall scored tries for the home side, with Smith adding four conversions.

Rotimi Segun scored two of Saracens' four tries, with Manu Vunipola and Theo Dan grabbing the others and Vunipola adding three conversions and a penalty.

"The game was a typical Saints' effort of recent seasons, inconsistent at times, brilliant at times and absent at times," said Northampton boss Phil Dowson.

"We have tried to address the problem in training but sometimes you can't have the brilliance without having some of the calamities thrown in but it's just a question of managing it a bit better."

Louis Lynagh, son of Australia great Michael, made a successful comeback from knee surgery to celebrate his maiden appearance of the season with a try as Harlequins dispatched Newcastle 48-20.

Quins were forced to battle hard for a bonus-point victory that lifted them to sixth in the Premiership after Freddie Lockwood's 65th-minute try threatened an upset.