Northampton sent a shock through the Premiership on Friday when they beat the leaders, Exeter, 31-28 at Franklin’s Gardens.
It was Exeter’s second defeat of the season while Saints made their mark without Dylan Hartley, who has a knee injury. The hosts scored tries through Piers Francis, Dan Biggar, Fraser Dingwall and Cobus Reinach, with Biggar contributing 11 points with the boot.
“They turned up in a better frame of mind than us and were more committed so I have no complaints about the result,” said Rob Baxter, Exeter’s director of rugby. “We’ve got to look at ourselves as there was some really poor play from us. Had we nicked a result that would just have covered up a few deficiencies.”
A late yellow card for Luke Cowan-Dickie proved crucial as the Exeter hooker tip-tackled Courtney Lawes to deprive momentum at a vital time. However, Northampton’s director of rugby, Chris Boyd, was in no doubt the punishment should have been harsher. He said: “The tackle went past horizontal and it was pretty clear cut. If that’s not a red card, I don’t know what is.
“Overall it’s a good Christmas present to pick up nine points in two games. This result will do wonders for our self-belief.”
Meanwhile Ben Te’o will make his long overdue first Worcester start of the season against Saracens on Saturday after he was given extended rest following England’s autumn internationals.
Te’o has made only one appearance for Worcester this season, featuring for 28 minutes as a replacement against the Ospreys in October, having been hampered by a niggling calf problem. He then started three of England’s four autumn Tests but, much to the surprise of Worcester supporters, was handed a three-week break by the club to allow him to visit his family in New Zealand as part of an arrangement reached by the Warriors’ director of rugby, Alan Solomons, and Eddie Jones.
He returned five days before last Friday’s home defeat by Northampton but was not part of the squad, again raising eyebrows considering he earns a reported £350,000 a year but has made only 25 appearances for Worcester since his arrival in 2016.
A wrist injury to Ryan Mills has paved the way for the return of Te’o, who comes in at inside-centre. “He has been enthusiastic and positive and I am sure he will give a good account of himself,” Solomons said.
While Te’o makes his return, Jones has to wait to see Billy Vunipola in club colours again. Saracens had pencilled in Saturday’s fixture as the No 8’s return date but he has not been named in the champions’ 23-man squad as they look to get back to winning ways after their 22-match unbeaten run came to an end against Exeter.
Vunipola has been deemed “not quite ready” to make his first appearance since suffering a third broken arm in less than a year in mid-October. He is now expected to make his comeback against Sale on 4 January, meaning he will have only two matches to prove his fitness before Jones names his Six Nations squad. Maro Itoje is still on the sidelines for Saracens with a knee injury as is Liam Williams who, like Vunipola, is expected to make his comeback against Sale following his hamstring injury.their victory over Bristol.
Bath make one change for Sunday’s visit of Leicester with Matt Garvey replacing Dave Attwood in the second row. The Tigers are without the injured duo Will Spencer and Guy Thompson, so Graham Kitchener and Brendon O’Connor come into the side. The Newcastle captain, Will Welch, makes a welcome return for the key game with Bristol as the Bears, 10th in the table, host the Premiership’s bottom side.