Paul Grayson celebrated his England squad recall by steering Northampton to a
comfortable victory over Zurich Premiership strugglers Bath at the Recreation
Ground.
And it could have been even worse for Bath, whose skipper and England
second-row forward Danny Grewcock narrowly avoided being sent off.
Grewcock had already been sin-binned for brawling with opposite number Mark
Connors, when he was spotted by touch judge Andy Melrose throwing a punch.
But referee Roy Maybank, instead of brandishing a second yellow card -
equating to an automatic red - decided a warning should suffice.
It proved a remarkable reprieve for Grewcock, who was sent off when Bath lost
to Saracens earlier this season, yet successfully appealed against his resulting
Rugby Football Union suspension.
He has now collected three yellow cards in 12 months though, and faces an
automatic one-match ban.
Just to complete Grewcock's thoroughly depressing afternoon, he went off eight
minutes from time, looking distinctly groggy, and handing England chief Clive
Woodward an apparent fitness concern ahead of the Scotland clash.
Northampton encountered few problems as 31-year-old master tactician Grayson
took charge.
Grayson, who could feature in England's match-day 22 against RBS 6 Nations
Championship opponents Scotland next Saturday, landed five penalties and a
conversion, while centre Peter Jorgensen snapped up both Saints' tries.
Northampton comfortably repeated their Powergen Cup quarter-final success -
achieved on the same pitch seven weeks ago - to leave Bath still wracked with
relegation worries.
Bath, 30-9 conquerors of fellow league strugglers Saracens last time out,
welcomed back Mike Catt into their midfield following his latest injury lay-off,
with Woodward expected among a sell-out 8,200 crowd to monitor his progress.
But Kevin Maggs and Matt Perry were both absent from the Bath line-up through
fitness problems, so goalkicker Olly Barkley switched to full-back and Tom Voyce
filled Maggs' left-wing vacancy.
Northampton coach Wayne Smith rested international forwards Tom Smith, Steve
Williams and Steve Thompson, although England hooker Thompson was on the bench,
while his international colleagues Matt Dawson and Robbie Morris both started.
Bath made all the early running, securing an abundance of possession, but
despite Barkley and Mike Tindall going close, Northampton resisted their
attacking waves and went ahead on 16 minutes through a Grayson penalty.
Saints had weathered the storm, and two further Grayson penalty strikes on 21
and 24 minutes hoisted them into a 9-0 lead.
Bath's early confidence and enthusiasm was replaced by hesitancy and
nervousness as Northampton, despite losing flanker Budge Pountney due to a
facial wound, assumed a degree of control.
But the game's simmering undercurrent boiled over three minutes before
half-time when Grewcock and Connors were sin-binned following an ungainly
wrestling match.
Grewcock and Connors had been yellow-carded for trading blows in January's cup
clash, and there was no sign of their apparent feud ending on today's occasion.
Dawson then angrily voiced his displeasure to touch judge Ashley Rowden and
referee Maybank after more skirmishing among the forwards, yet Northampton kept
their composure and stung Bath through an injury-time try.
Grayson's speed of thought saw him execute an inch-perfect kick behind the
Bath defence, and Jorgensen, whose late touchdown gave Saints cup success at the
Recreation Ground, pounced.
Grayson landed the conversion - his fourth successful kick - condemning Bath
to a 16-3 interval deficit.
Barkley failed to take a leaf out of Grayson's book when he sliced an easy
penalty chance wide on 46 minutes, as Bath desperately chased a score.
Another Grayson penalty was followed by Jorgensen's second try midway through
the second period, and Bath had no way back, not even going close to salvaging a
losing bonus point, despite Voyce's injury-time try - converted by Barkley -
after Saints substitute Grant Seely was sin-binned for a technical offence.
Grayson had the final say, slotting his fifth penalty to give him 17 points in
total.
Teams:
Bath: Barkley, Seveali'i, Tindall, Catt, Voyce, Malone,
A. Williams, Barnes, Mears, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock,
Beattie, Vander, N. Thomas.
Not Used: Cooper, Long, Galasso, Whatling, Davey, Scaysbrook,
Lloyd.
Tries: Voyce.
Cons: Barkley.
Pens: Barkley.
Northampton: Beal, Brooks, Jorgensen, Leslie, Reihana, Grayson,
Dawson, Sturgess, Richmond, Morris, Lord, Connors, Fox,
Pountney, Blowers.
Not Used: Thompson, Stewart, Hunter, Seely, Vass, Hyndman,
Ripol.
Tries: Jorgensen 2.
Cons: Grayson.
Pens: Grayson 5.
Att: 8,200
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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