Saints Steal the Show

​Northampton Saints ran out victorious at Showdown 6 against Saracens when the two sides met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Pre-match entertainment was provided by Dizzee Rascal, but it was Northampton’s scrum-half, Archie McParland, who truly stood tall.

​Lovely build-up play from the visitors eventually saw Tom Litchfield score the opening try of the afternoon inside the first 10 minutes. The lead was doubled just five minutes later when McParland scored his first of the day following some brilliant work from Fin Smith.

​Saracens eventually found their way back into the game, with Tobias Elliott turning into the "Boy In Da Corner." The try was duly converted by Owen Farrell to bring Saracens within seven before the break.

​There was a light show at half-time, and it was certainly Saracens who emerged the brighter side for the second half. Theo Dan is the successor to Jamie George and, in theory, should be in line for the England number 2 shirt when "Jinxy" retires; he showed exactly what he is capable of when he scored off the back of a Saracens maul to level the scores.

​It remained a nervy affair from then on, with plenty of substitutions by both sides and a fair few opportunities that went begging. Ultimately, it felt like a game that would come down to a penalty. Saracens likely felt they’d secured it when Fergus Burke slotted a kick with just eight minutes left on the clock to give the hosts their first lead of the day.

​However, this isn’t the Saracens of old—they no longer appear as ruthless or as clinical. Conversely, this isn't a Saints side that knows when they’re beaten. With time running out, Northampton continued to play their slick brand of rugby. This time, Litchfield tore away from the Saracens defence before offloading "out the back door" to McParland for his second try, ensuring a bonkers finish.

​It is also worth noting the celebration of a certain Henry Pollock, who reacted to the try by shadow-boxing; surely a signal of a knockout blow and absolutely nothing to do with the announcement of his signing with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Talent!

​As a neutral, it’s hard to ignore the change in Saracens. In games like this, they seem to lack the "clutch" factor they once possessed—possibly due to Mark McCall’s pending change in role, a transitional squad, and maybe a hint of a lack of "Dirtee Cash" (the last Dizzee Rascal reference, I swear).

​Saracens head to Bath next week in the Investec Champions Cup for what is sure to be another tough clash, while Northampton welcome French side Castres to Franklin’s Gardens. Much like gardens and houses all over the UK, there’s plenty of "egg chasing" occurring this Easter weekend!