Premiership: Gloucester 29-31 Northampton – Saints edge hosts in nine-try thriller

Northampton Saints climbed to third in the Premiership as they narrowly beat Gloucester in a see-saw nine-try tussle at Kingsholm.

Tries from Freddie Clarke and Chris Harris, either side of a second from Langdon, made it 24-14 at half-time.

Matias Alemanno and Santiago Carreras scores put Gloucester in front but Tom Litchfield’s converted try won it.

After Carreras had helped Gloucester follow Saints in earning a try bonus point, centre Litchfield’s 64th-minute try levelled the scores – and Fin Smith added the extras to seize victory.

But, having already landed three conversions and a penalty on his return from injury, Scotland’s Adam Hastings missed a 45-metre angled penalty with the last kick of the match.

Saints now head into Christmas within two points of new leaders Bath, while, despite suffering a seventh straight league defeat, ninth-placed Gloucester’s extra losing bonus point lifts them 10 clear of bottom club Newcastle.

Having trailed 24-7 after 35 minutes, it was a yellow card for Saints centre Rory Hutchinson for a high tackle on Ollie Thorley which brought an instant change in momentum as Gloucester scored 22 unanswered points.

The hosts capitalised immediately before the break with a try from Scotland centre Harris and then further reduced the arrears when Argentine lock Alemanno forced his way over.

Hutchinson then returned but could not shift the momentum back his side’s way as Gloucester took the lead for the first time.

Carreras finished off a flowing move for try number four, converted by Hastings to take his side ahead for the first time, before the Scot added a penalty to make it 29-24 going into the final quarter.

But Northampton broke out of defence when scrum-half Mitchell sent Litchfield racing to the left corner to tie the scores again.

Worcester old boy Smith then knocked over the match-winning conversion from the touchline to regain their lost lead.

Who’s next?

Northampton now host Sale in a meeting of third against second next Saturday before travelling to Exeter on Saturday 6 January.

Gloucester go to Twickenham for an evening kick-off to face Harlequins next Saturday, before the local derby with Bath on Sunday 7 January.

Gloucester head coach George Skivington:

“In the first 25 minutes, they came out of the blocks rapidly and opened us up too easily. Our defence had been much better in the previous game against Clermont but some of our bad habits snuck back in.

“Some of our strike-plays paid off and we were very much in control but they broke out to score a typical Saints try out of nothing. We overplayed in the last 20 minutes. We should have kicked the ball more behind them.

“I’m sure we scored a legitimate maul try in that crucial final period but it wasn’t given. I believe I’ll be given an apology some time later for that decision.

“It was good to see Adam Hastings back as it will blow the cobwebs away after being out for seven months. It was a crucial and difficult kick and we will forgive him that.”

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson:

“We were nowhere near our best. Our discipline was very poor. It was our commitment that just saw us through.

“We gave away a lot of penalties including two crucial ones which could have easily cost us. We are fortunate in that respect. However, we were very good at taking our chances.

“The yellow card was crucial as we immediately conceded a try and then spent the first seven-and-a-half minutes of the second half under the cosh in our 22.

“Our boys buy into our DNA so they learn not to take the percentage option and instead look for space and it paid off with our breakaway try.”

Gloucester: Carreras; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Llewellyn, Thorley; Hastings, S Varney; Elrington, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Alemanno, Ackermann, Ludlow, Mercer.

Replacements: McGuigan, Ford-Robinson, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Clement, Englefield, S Atkinson, Evans.

Northampton: Furbank; Litchfield, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Freeman; F Smith, Mitchell; E Waller, Langdon, Hill, Mayanavanua, Coles, Lawes, Pearson, Graham.

Replacements: S Matavesi, Haffar, Millar-Mills, Munga, Augustus, Braley, Savala, J Garside.

Sin-bin: Hutchinson (40)

Referee: Hamish Smales (RFU)