Saints fight back to beat Quins and extend home run

Ollie Sleightholme scored two tries as Northampton Saints fought back to beat Harlequins

Gallagher Premiership

Northampton (14) 33

Tries: Iyogun, Sleightholme 2, Penalty try, Graham Cons: F Smith 3

Harlequins (22) 29

Tries: Walker, M Smith 2, Porter Cons: M Smith 3 Pens: M Smith

Northampton Saints fought back to beat Harlequins 33-29 in a thrilling Premiership encounter to extend their long home winning run.

Marcus Smith scored 19 points for the away side in his first-ever league start at full-back, 17 of which came in a strong first-half performance from the visitors as he ran in two tries.

Jack Walker also scored to cancel out tries from Saints' Emmanuel Iyogun and Ollie Sleightholme to give Quins an eight-point lead at the break.

Saints, who lost lock Alex Coles to a rib injury early on, had struggled to deal with their opponents at the breakdown and gave away nine penalties in the first half, but improved dramatically in the second.

Sleightholme’s second try, a penalty try and a fifth from Sam Graham put the home side in control as they took full advantage of Nick David's spell in the sin-bin for a high tackle.

Will Porter got one back late on to secure two bonus points for Harlequins.

Northampton’s home winning streak is now approaching a full calendar year since their last loss to Bristol Bears on 21 October, 2023.

Marcus Smith scored two tries in a 19-point haul for Harlequins

Harlequins' mounting injuries meant England's Smith started at full-back, with Jarrod Evans in at fly-half.

Despite wearing 15 for his country at the World Cup last year, Smith had never started a Premiership game in the position but shone in a first half that Quins dominated, with prop Walker giving the visitors the lead after 80 seconds.

Smith wrong-footed Tommy Freeman for his first try of the game before latching on to Evans' lofted pass for a stunning second which survived a TMO check for a forward pass.

He kicked a further seven points in a brilliant first-half performance before the Premiership champions took control of the match.

Quins were not helped when David was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Sleightholme before the line to ultimately deny the winger a hat-trick and give away the penalty try.

The victory moves Northampton up to third in the Premiership table with two wins and nine points, while Harlequins sit fifth with eight points and one win from their three games.

But their incredible unbeaten run at home will stretch beyond one full year if they avoid defeat against Sale Sharks on Friday, 18 October.

Fin Smith kicked six points in Northampton Saints' comeback win against Harlequins

Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson told BBC Radio 5 Live:

"I think it was a game of two halves. At half-time everyone was pretty measured, pretty calm - very frustrated I'd say from a playing point of view.

"And we knew the things we needed to rectify, they were fairly obvious, and I was very pleased with the way the players came out and did that.

"The penalty count [in the first half] is simply a symptom of being under pressure, so when you're defending for long periods of time you're going to give a lot of penalties away.

"We were under pressure because we couldn't keep hold of the ball, the breakdown was a mess, we were giving penalties away at set-piece.

"Second half - much better flow, much better breakdown, much better intent to go forward.

"[It was] a fast game, and we love that with Quins and Saints."

On the injury to Alex Coles: "He had a rib injury that was particularly uncomfortable.

"Hopefully, that won't be too long but the medics will have a good look at him and see how he gets on."

Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson said:

"First half we were frustrated at what we were handing back to them.

"We'd score a try and then make a mistake on the kick-off or the exit and give them field position, they're too good a side to give that kind of opportunity.

"We felt we should have been a bit clearer at half-time and then second half, that 20-minute period we just got blown away. Yellow card, just defence, defence, defence and it dragged and drained the energy out of us.

"Proud of the effort, proud that we scored the try to come out of it with two points.

"But it's a game I think we'll look back on and think we could well have got more out of it than what we did."

On playing Smith at full-back: "He's class isn't he? Wherever you play him he's a fantastic rugby player.

"It was needs must tonight and he did a great job."

Northampton: Furbank; Freeman, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Sleightholme; F Smith, James; Iyogun, Langdon, Davison; Munga, Coles; Kemeny, Pearson, Graham.

Replacements: R Smith, West, Green, Mayanavanua, Pollock, McParland, Seabrook, Ramm.

Harlequins: M Smith; David, Joseph, Anyanwu, Beard; Evans, Care; Baxter, Walker, Lamositele; Herbst, Lewies; Kenningham, Evans, Cunningham-South.

Replacements: Jibulu, Els, Lewis, Lamb, Chisholm, Porter, Bradley, Anderson.

Sin-bin: David (42).

Referee: Matthew Carley.