Newcastle boost fortunes with cup win over Northampton
Stewart Moore has been capped by Ireland Under-20s and the Emerging Ireland squad
- Published
Premiership Rugby Cup
Northampton Saints (14) 14
Tries: Sleightholme, Caqusau Cons: Belleau (2)
Newcastle Red Bulls (5) 31
Tries: Moore (3), Hutchison, Lockwood Cons: Connon (3)
Stewart Moore scored a hat-trick on his Newcastle Red Bulls debut as the league strugglers coasted to only their second win of the season against Northampton Saints in the Prem Rugby Cup.
Moore signed this month from Ulster and marked his first appearance in a gold shirt with Newcastle's opening score and two tries in the second period as Red Bulls posted the second win in three cup outings.
Despite the north east outfit being winless and pointless in the Premiership, Alan Dickens' side are making good on promises to use the cup as a spark to ignite a revival in the league.
Saints had won their last 11 against Newcastle in all competitions and looked set for a 12th after leading 14-5 at the break with tries from Ollie Sleightholme and Amena Caqusau, whose pace proved too hot to handle.
But with an under-strength Saints lacking creativity after Anthony Belleau limped off injured shortly before the break, Newcastle fed off Northampton mistakes to pounce in the second period.
Two further scores from Moore sandwiching tries from Cameron Hutchison and Freddie Lockwood saw the visitors pull clear and move into second place in Group B behind leaders Leicester Tigers.
If some of the bigger clubs are using this competition to give game minutes to reserves and academy prospects Newcastle's Dickens has talked extensively about how he hopes the cup can ignite improvements in the league.
There will be bigger tests down the road but this bonus point win at least put them on target for progression after three of the eight group matches.
Moore broke the deadlock in a flat opening period going over from 5m out after 22 minutes before Sleightholme responded with a converted try in his first match of the season for Saints.
Some magic from Belleau, assisting and converting Caqusau's try on 33 minutes, put the home side 14-5 up but it was the Frenchman's withdrawal with what looked a hamstring concern, which proved the tipping point in the match.
In the second half it was all Newcastle with the visitors running in four tries, three of which were converted by Brett Connon. The pick was Moore's hat-trick try, latching on to a perfect cross field kick from Connon to go over in the corner.
Saints had no reply and finished outscored by 26-0 in the second half.
Northampton Saints: Furbank; Sleightholme, Lumley, Thame, Pater; Belleau, Weimann; West, Walker, Tonga'uiha, Prowse, Bennett, Munga, Benson, Brown
Replacements: Manfredi, Scola, Green, Ainsworth-Cave, Graham, James, Litchfield Caqusau.
Newcastle Red Bulls: Grayson; Obatoyinbo, Moore, Hutchison, Hearle; Connon, Stuart; McCallum, McGuigan, Palframan, Usher, Hodgson, Neild, Leatherbarrow, Lockwood
Replacements: Faiva, Brocklebank, de Bruin, Scott, Gordon, Elliott, Clark, Waugh.
Referee: Jamie Parr