Latest news with #NorthamptonSaints
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Cotgreave hat-trick gives Gloucester win over Northampton but no playoff berth
Gloucester did their part. A top-four finish and a place in the playoffs remained tantalisingly within reach for George Skivington's side on the final day, but they didn't just need a win: they also required one of Bristol, Sale and Leicester above them to falter. It wasn't to be. Seven tries in a rousing performance, including a hat-trick for the elusive 19-year-old wing Jack Cotgreave, against a much-changed Northampton delighted their relentlessly passionate fans. Ultimately it meant finishing fifth. It will be Bath, plus the aforementioned three, to fight it out for the Premiership title. The Saints remain the champions for now and Phil Dowson's 14 changes felt like a suitably low-key way to sign off on a disappointing title defence. They have been injury-plagued and hardly helped by players frequently departing for international duty. Still they produced one of the more memorable performances of recent years by edging out Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final four weeks ago. They came up short against Bordeaux in Cardiff seven days ago and all four of their British & Irish Lions representatives – Fin Smith, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman – were absent for this season finale. Music to Gloucester's ears with a playoff berth potentially on the table: official statistics gave them a 34% chance of the top four, and mathematically speaking, there was even a shot at a home semi-final. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion In a perfect world, perhaps, the Premiership's final day would feature a tense scrap to avoid relegation as well as a pulsating playoff race: not to mention a properly funded, healthy second tier packed with clubs snapping at the heels of the elite. That feels like an impossible dream in English rugby (blame the Rugby Football Union, not the clubs) and Dowson's recently-stated fear of the competition collectively 'sleepwalking' to another bankruptcy was right on the money, if that is the correct phrase. Hype up a congested playoff race all you like, the finances of the clubs remain in a parlous state, and there is no sign of it changing. Taking the positives, though, there was nothing wrong with the on-field product. The 6ft 4in Cotgreave had scored on his Premiership debut against Newcastle last time out, and crossed three times in the first half alone, although one of those was disallowed for a foot in touch. His first score came after three minutes, converted by Santiago Carreras, only for tries by Northampton's Tom Pearson and Tom Litchfield to demonstrate that the visitors fancied making a game of it. The second row Ed Prowse, captaining Northampton for the first time, was forced off on 17 minutes after an accidental head contact before Cotgreave's flying effort in the corner was disallowed. There was no doubt over another impressively pacy finish on the same wing, by the same player, on 25 minutes. Then, when Christian Wade smartly intercepted a pass around halfway on the Gloucester right, his prodigious pace made the breakaway finish seem straightforward. Wonderful work by the lock Freddie Clarke, skilfully scooping up a loose ball and offloading, soon sent the quicksilver scrum-half Tomos Williams cantering in for the bonus point. It was 22-14 at half-time: the only problem? Bristol led Harlequins 26-12, having run in four tries, with Leicester and Sale also set fair. Northampton came out firing. The scrum-half Jonny Weimann forced his way over eight minutes after the break and when Hutchinson confidently stroked over a sweet conversion, his third of the afternoon, there was just a point in it. Gloucester's response was immediate, literally: from the restart Carreras's silky show-and-go set up Cotgreave for his hat-trick. Seb Atkinson's score made it six tries, and was met with one of the day's biggest cheers. Order restored for the Shed faithful. Iakopo Mapu's try for Saints cut the lead to 10 before Wade's second, the game's final act, sent the fans wild. But for Gloucester, the playoffs will have to wait. 'I just hope we can follow up this season, that's what it's about,' remarked a fan as the train from London pulled into Gloucester station an hour or so before kick-off. A sentiment doubtless shared by all those who follow the once-mighty Cherry-and-Whites.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban The England international was at the centre of a clash at the end of the Champions Cup final Henry Pollock explained that there was an incident that instigated his altercation with Bordeaux players. (Image: TNT SPORTS ) Henry Pollock has broken his silence on the violence that kicked off after the Champions Cup final in Cardiff. Bordeaux faced Northampton Saints in European rugby's showpiece event in the Welsh capital last weekend, with the French side winning 28-20 and securing their first-ever European trophy. However, shortly after the full-time whistle, attention was drawn to the immediate aftermath, with Pollock getting stuck into it with Bordeaux prop Jefferson Poirot. The Frenchman was subsequently cited for grabbing Pollock's throat and will now miss his side's final two games of the Top 14 regular season. Pollock and team-mate Tommy Freeman appeared as guests on the latest episode of TNT Sports' The Rugby Breakdown Show and touched on the post-match melee. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The British & Irish Lions bolter was asked about the incident and told the tale from his perspective. "The whistle goes, and obviously it's pretty heated. I think Dingers (Fraser Dingwall) and (Matthieu) Jalibert were pushing and shoving," Pollock told TNT Sports. "I went over to Jalibert, pushed him and got involved, and was like: 'I'm not letting Dingers be on his own here'. "And then as I'm doing this – I didn't know this in the moment, Fin (Smith) was looking around – apparently the loosehead (Poirot) was on the bench and beelined it straight to me. "So we're in this, and he basically grabs my neck and gets his hands on my throat and squeezes my neck," he added. "I wasn't happy with this, I was pretty angry. "I managed to rip his shirt, and then the bit that you see is as he turns away, I push him, and then his friend comes in. "We had to do statements after. It was mad, you've just won the Champions Cup and the first thing you want to do is run on and strangle a 20-year-old." On Bordeaux players mimicking Pollock's celebration after their victory, David Flatman asked Freeman whether he was a fan of it. "I wouldn't say I love it," began Freeman. "I would actually say, if they want to do that, and make you (Pollock) the front line of their celebrations, then fair play. "He's probably got a bit of a target on his back, through no fault of his own." You can watch the clip below. Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below Twenty-year-old Pollock has one game left of the regular season with Saints before taking on Australia with the Lions. He will be the youngest Lion on tour, and like Louis Rees-Zammit in 2021, has the responsibility of carrying BIL the stuffed lion for the entirety of the tour. The young English star will get his first opportunity to play for the Lions when they face Argentina in the opening match of the tour on June 20.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Henry Pollock breaks silence on Champions Cup final melee with Bordeaux-Begles prop
Henry Pollock has broken his silence after being involved in a scuffle with Bordeaux-Begles prop Jefferson Poirot after the Investec Champions Cup final. Poirot has been given a two-match ban for grabbing the throat of Northampton 's Pollock when tempers flared following the full-time whistle in Cardiff, where the French club secured a breakthrough European triumph in a captivating 28-20 battle. The veteran prop was cited for an act that Saints boss Phil Dowson described as "uncalled for and out of order", with Pollock getting into it with a number Bordeaux-Begles players. The Lions new boy has now spoken out on the incident, giving his point of view on how things devolved into chaos. 'The whistle goes, and obviously it's pretty heated. I think Dingers (Fraser Dingwall) and (Matthieu) Jalibert were pushing and shoving,' Pollock told TNT Sports. 'I went over to Jalibert, pushed him and got involved, and was like: 'I'm not letting Dingers be on his own here.' 'And then as I'm doing this – I didn't know this in the moment, Fin (Smith) was looking around – apparently the loosehead (Poirot) was on the bench and beelined it straight to me. 'So we're in this, and he basically grabs my neck and gets his hands on my throat and squeezes my neck. I wasn't happy with this, I was pretty angry. 'I managed to rip his shirt, and then the bit that you see is as he turns away, I push him, and then his friend comes in.' Subsequent images shared on social media appeared to show members of the squad at the Top 14 club mocking the expressive Pollock's celebrations. Poirot, capped 36 times by France, is in line to miss the Bordeaux-Begles games against Toulon and Vannes, though will be available for the play-offs with his club currently second in the table.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Bordeaux-Begles prop Poirot banned for altercation with Pollock
Bordeaux-Begles prop Jefferson Poirot has been hit with a two-week ban following their Champions Cup final victory over Northampton Saints. Poirot was involved in a post-match clash with Northampton flanker Henry Pollock after their 28-20 win in Cardiff on Saturday. During a scuffle in which a number of players from both sides argued at full-time, the 32-year-old loosehead was alleged to have grabbed Pollock by the throat. Poirot will now miss Bordeaux's remaining Top 14 regular season clashes with Toulon and Vannes, before returning for the club's chase for a domestic and European double in the play-offs. Having appeared before independent disciplinary committee on Thursday, and accepted that his acts warranted a red card. "Taking into account the player's guilty plea, his good disciplinary record and his full co-operation with the disciplinary process, the Committee decided to reduce the sanction by the maximum of 50% before imposing a two-week suspension," an EPCR statement said.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Bordeaux-Begles prop hit with ban after grabbing Henry Pollock's throat in Champions Cup final
Bordeaux-Begles prop Jefferson Poirot has been given a two-match ban after grabbing the throat of Northampton 's Henry Pollock after the Investec Champions Cup final. Tempers flared in Cardiff after the full-time whistle as the French club secured a breakthrough European triumph in a captivating 28-20 battle. Pollock was involved in a fracas with a number of Bordeaux-Begles players, including the replaced loosehead Poirot. The veteran prop was cited for an act that Saints boss Phil Dowson described as "uncalled for and out of order" and has now been given a two-match suspension by an independent disciplinary panel. Poirot accepted that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card, with a four-week entry point cut in half due to his guilty plea and his good disciplinary record. In the wake of the final defeat, Northampton fly half Fin Smith questioned why Poirot and his teammates had confronted the young flanker, believing him to have been deliberately targeted. 'They were after him,' Smith said of Pollock. 'I don't think they liked him. "I remember they (Bordeaux players) all sort of charged at him and were trying to get hold of him. "I am surprised if you have just won a European Cup, the first thing you want to do is start a fight with a 20-year-old. I felt that was interesting." Subsequent images shared on social media appeared to show members of the squad at the Top 14 club mocking the expressive Pollock's celebrations. Poirot, capped 36 times by France, is in line to miss the Bordeaux-Begles games against Toulon and Vannes, though will be available for the play-offs with his club currently second in the table.
