Northampton Saints: Tom Collins hails Wood and Burrell as greats after Baa-Baas game

Luther Burrell scored in the second half against Northampton, his club from 2012 to 2019

Northampton wing Tom Collins hailed Luther Burrell and Tom Wood as club greats after they turned out against Saints for Barbarians.

Collins scored a hat-trick in a 45-39 victory as Saints warmed up for next week's Premiership return.

Burrell crossed for the Baa-Baas and he and Wood were given an ovation when they left the Franklin's Gardens pitch.

"It was great experience to play against them - and to get the win," Collins told BBC Radio Northampton.

"Woody was here when I joined the club and was someone who inspired me to be where I am now.

"He looked great, bearing in mind he's been chopping trees down for a living for the last couple of months."

The game was arranged to give Saints some competitive practice after scheduled opponents Worcester Warriors went into administration.

And they ran in seven tries - a tally matched by the Baa-Baas - in front of a near-capacity crowd to set them up for next Saturday's Premiership trip to Gloucester.

Barbarians played Harlequins a week earlier, and for the game against Northampton, as well as Wood and Burrell, the Barbarians squad included nine players who had been left without a club after Wasps also went into administration.

"I think there's a handful of lads from the past two weeks have picked up clubs - it doesn't get much better than that," said Burrell.

"As a Barbarian, to be able to put them on the stage, support them, let them show their skills, I am so honoured."

Of his own try, he said: "I was hanging out on the touchline and the fitness guys for Northampton were telling me 'Luther, stop being lazy, get off the wing'.

"I went 'lads, I know what I'm doing out here' and a couple of minutes later (I went) down the wing and we score."

The 34-year-old has been spearheading a campaign against racism in rugby over the past few months, and was delighted to get onto the pitch for the Baa-Baas.

"I'm almost trying to start a petition for the Barbarians to be inducted into the Premiership. Where do I sign that contract? It'd be great," he joked.