Saints crash at Kingsholm

Gloucester moved to the top of the table with a 28-7 win over Northampton.

Guinness Premiership, Kingsholm, Saturday September 23

Gloucester moved to the top of the Guinness Premiership table with a comfortable 28-7 win over Northampton.

Wasps could go back to the summit with a win at Bristol on Sunday, but for 24 hours the Cherry and Whites can enjoy life as league leaders.

They certainly deserved their victory over a Saints side that lost Bruce Reihana and props Tom Smith and Pat Barnard to injury.

The departure of skipper Reihana after eight minutes with a knee injury was not the start Northampton had hoped for, particularly with fellow centre Jon Clarke a long-term absentee due to a broken ankle.

Jamie Forrester's performance was the major highlight of an often turgid encounter, the number eight pressing his international claims with a superb solo try.

His third score in as many matches, which was converted by Ludovic Mercier, gave the hosts a 10-7 advantage and gives England coach Andy Robinson another indication of his abilities.

Gloucester certainly needed something special after Northampton had grabbed the first try of the match through David Quinlan.

The centre got on the end of Carlos Spencer's delicate kick to put the visitors in front after Ludovic Mercier, who finished with 13 points, had slotted over an early penalty.

The Frenchman extended the Cherry and Whites' slender lead in the second half with two penalties before Andy Hazzell grabbed the all-important third try of the afternoon.

The flanker finished off a fantastic move by the pack that saw them march 30 yards down the field to their opponents' try-line.

With the points in the bag, Gloucester looked to press forward and take advantage of a patched up Northampton side that had to have uncontested scrums for the final eight minutes after Barnard's departure.

Substitute Luke Myring's yellow card also didn't help Saints' cause, and it was no surprise when Jack Adams came off the bench to grab an injury-time try to put the icing on the cake for the home side.