Leicester's five-year unbeaten run at Welford Road was sensationally ended by
midlands neighbours Northampton.
Tigers had gone 57 games unbeaten in the Premiership on their own ground,
since losing to champions-elect Newcastle on their own patch last in December
1997.
But their amazing record was ground into the mud by Saints in front of a
sell-out crowd of 17,000.
Northampton, who had not won at Leicester since 1992, had to do it the hard
way after having second-row forward Rob Hunter yellow-carded for killing the
ball in the second half.
But crucially during his absence the Saints' defence, at which flanker Andrew
Blowers was at the heart, conceded just a penalty to winger Tim Stimpson, his
fourth of the game.
It brought Tigers back to 12-13, but once they were back to 15 men Saints took
control and wrapped it up with a 65th-minute try from scrum-half Ian Vass who
had come on for England hero Matt Dawson who went off injured after only 11
minutes.
And to rub it in, 20-year-old centre Chris Hyndman put the game beyond
Leicester's reach with a 71st-minute try.
Tigers, who slipped to fifth place in the table, trailed 13-6 at the interval,
fly-half Paul Grayson and Stimpson exchanging penalties before flanker Budge
Pountney caught the home defence napping with a try from a quickly-taken
lineout.
Leicester had looked as though the game was just a formality in the first half
as both sides welcomed back all their internationals from the autumn Test
series.
But Northampton overcame their nervy start and did not give Leicester an inch
in difficult but at least dry conditions.
Austin Healey, playing at fly-half, attempted in vain to get the Tigers' backs
flowing.
Leicester had the edge at the line-out but their early scrum dominance was
cancelled out by battling Saints - who sensed it was going to be their day.
Teams
Leicester: Stimpson, Murphy, Smith, Kafer, Tuilagi, Healey,
Ellis, Rowntree, Chuter, Tournaire, M. Johnson, Kay, Corry,
Kronfeld, W. Johnson.
Not Used: Freshwater, Buckland, Balding, Gerry, Tierney, Booth,
Lloyd.
Pens: Stimpson 4.
Northampton: Beal, Reihana, Hyndman, Leslie, Cohen, Grayson,
Dawson, Smith, Thompson, Budgen, Lord, Hunter, Blowers,
Pountney, Soden.
Not Used: Richmond, Morris, Phillips, Hepher, Vass, Brooks,
Sleightholme.
Tries: Pountney, Vass, Hyndman.
Cons: Grayson 2.
Pens: Grayson 2.
Att: 16,800
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).
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