3 hours ago
3
The Prem
Bath (14) 21
Tries: Du Toit 2, Dunn Cons: Russell 3
Northampton (14) 41
Tries: Freeman 3, McParland, Pollock 2 Cons: Belleau 4 Pens: Belleau
Tommy Freeman scored a hat-trick of tries as Northampton leapfrogged Bath to go top of the Prem with a stellar 41-21 victory in an enthralling clash at the Recreation Ground.
Freeman's England team-mate Henry Pollock scored two more of Saints' tries, with Archie MacParland getting another, as the visitors ended a run of 11 consecutive wins at home for the reigning Prem champions.
Saints, who saw two more potential tries chalked off by the television match official as they dominated in almost every area on the field, scored 27 unopposed points during the second-half.
Bath, whose tries came via props Thomas du Toit (two) and Tom Dunn, drop to second in the table with their second loss this season.
Both sides made 10 changes to their starting line-ups but Bath were at full strength while Saints had players such as Fin Smith, George Furbank and Alex Mitchell among those missing.
Bath have not lost at the Rec in the Prem since 5 October 2024 but were on the back foot immediately as Freeman cut a fine diagonal line to open the scoring in the third minute.
Edoardo Todaro thought he had Northampton's second shortly after, only for it to be pulled back before he touched the ball down for an earlier knock-on.
Du Toit rolled over the line for Bath's first score and when Northampton saw Ed Prowse sent to the sin bin for head contact in a tackle, Dunn made it 14-7 to the hosts as Bath's maul powered him forward.
McParland drew Saints level, slipping through a gap in the line to run over, before Todaro was denied again try by an excellent covering Sam Underhill tackle, as he cantered clear when Pollock intercepted.
Callum Chick then had a try chalked off as Bath prop Beno Obano was judged to have been held in an earlier ruck during a TMO check, allowing the gap to open which led to the initial Saints line break, while a long ball out the back from Pollock went wide late in the first-half as another Saints opportunity went begging.
Du Toit edged Bath 21-14 in front, stretching over under the posts on 45 minutes but it was to be the last points the hosts would score all night.
Rory Hutchinson thought he had scored only for Saints only for a second TMO check to show he dropped the ball over the line, before Freeman finally added their third, drifting between Ollie Lawrence and Joe Cokanasiga.
Henry Arundell sprinted towards Northampton's line in a rare moment where Bath's backs had the ball in hand, but an excellent tackle from Chick dislodged the ball and George Hendy pounced, sprinting the opposite way before passing to Pollock to dive over for Northampton's bonus point try.
Bath replacement Dan Frost was sent to the bin for deliberate knock-on and Northampton took further advantage with Pollock adding his second as their maul charged over.
Freeman then completed his hat-trick in the closing moments racing past Bath's tired defence.
Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan told BBC Radio Bristol:
"Well done to Northampton, they were the better team on the day.
"Not good enough from us and the biggest bit is you can't defend penalties and that cost us field position. A team like Northampton put you under massive pressure and they were very good in that second half.
"At half-time [it was] a pretty even game, we went ahead and then they applied pressure on us in that last 30."
Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty told BBC Radio Northampton:
"The mindset for 80 minutes was to just keep attacking and to just go at it, which was excellent. It didn't all go our way, but we never wavered from that attacking mindset and it brought the best out of us.
"We haven't won here since 2022 so it's a good place to come and do it. I'm just so proud of the boys to back themselves and have the confidence and mindset to go at it. I loved it.
"It's [the result] got to be up there because it's a tough place to come and win and for the boys to get over the line and to do it in such style as well.
"There's a few disallowed tries there as well so the scoreline could have been even more."
Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, du Toit; Roux, Molony, Bayliss, Underhill, Reid.
Replacements: Frost, Van Wyk, Griffin, Hill, Pepper, Carr-Smith, Carreras, Harris.
Sin bin: Frost (65)
Northampton: Hendy; Todaro, Freeman, Hutchinson, Ramm; Belleau, McParland; Iyogun, Smith, Davison; Prowse, Munga, Chick (c), Graham, Pollock.
Replacements: Walker, Scola, Millar Mills, Benson, Brown, James, Lumley, Sleightholme.
Sin bin: Prowse (12)
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
