Saints pick up bonus win

Fourth try for Saints: Martin Roberts

England full-back Ben Foden scored two tries to help Northampton to a 32-15 bonus-point win over Wasps at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

The win took Saints to six from their last eight games in the Aviva Premiership to keep pressure on the top four in the standings.

Wasps meanwhile have now only won one of their last 11, and stay firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.

It was the visitors who started the better though, creating a few chances in the early stages, but failed to take full advantage of their opportunities.

They did take the lead after 10 minutes though, when fly-half Nick Robinson kicked a penalty.

Both sides had penalty chances soon after, but neither could hit the target.

Northampton had been rather slow out of the blocks, but approaching the end of the first quarter, they went over for the first try of the game as Foden grounded after the hosts had men over.

Ryan Lamb added the conversion and the game was shaping up nicely.

Threatening

Wasps didn't take long to hit back and Robinson added another penalty midway through the half.

It was Northampton who were looking the most threatening at this stage though, and on the half hour mark they had their second try, centre James Downey piercing through the Wasps defence to dive over the try-line.

Lamb failed to add the extras, but the home side looked to be firmly on top.

The Saints extended their lead five minutes before the break when Lamb kicked a penalty, and when Foden dived over for his second and Northampton's third try of the game, the signs were looking ominous for Wasps. Lamb converted to leave it 22-9 at half-time.

Wasps started the second half promisingly when Robinson booted his fourth penalty of the game early on.

Both sides then lost a man each to the bin with a quarter of the contest remaining - Saints prop Ben Broster and Wasps hooker Andy Long - but that didn't stop Northampton increasing their lead further from a Lamb penalty.

Robinson reduced Wasps' arrears with a penalty with 15 minutes to play, but they just couldn't get back into the game, Northampton themselves pushing for a fourth try late on.

And it came late on as Martin Roberts secured the bonus point for the Saints, scampering over from a scrum with just five minutes left with replacement fly-half Stephen Myler converting.