Dylan Hartley’s red mist could not obscure the significance of this result. Until Northampton defeated Leicester in last May’s Premiership semi-final they had tended to find ways of losing to their east Midlands rivals but, even with a man down for more than an hour, they were too strong, resourceful and slick.
Hartley, not for the first or second time, will command the attention for a loss of control in the 17th minute, having been provoked by the Leicester centre Matt Smith. The hooker, Northampton’s captain, responded to Smith dragging him out of a ruck and then not letting go of him, by jabbing an elbow in his opponent’s face. Smith’s theatrical fall to the ground indicated that he had got what he was looking for, a reaction, and while the referee, JP Doyle, was minded to reach for his yellow card, even after watching replays of the incident from a number of angles, he was persuaded by the television match official, Sean Davey, that only red would do and Hartley, as he had been against Leicester in the 2013 Premiership final, was sent off.
His disciplinary hearing is likely to be on Tuesday evening but, if Northampton contest the red card, as their director of rugby, Jim Mallinder, hintedimmediately after the match that they would do, it may have to be postponed because at least one panel member working in the legal profession would be required and not many will be available given the proximity to Christmas. Hartley will be suspended until his case is heard but, whatever the verdict – anything from a ruling that the red card was sufficient to a nine-week ban, plus a top-up because of his poor disciplinary record – the international future of England’s most capped player in the autumn series will be in jeopardy after the head coach Stuart Lancaster’s warning to the player last year that he would be out of the squad permanently if he committed one more flagrant act of indiscipline. Having just signed a new contract with Northampton despite a better offer from Montpellier because he wanted to extend his Test career beyond the World Cup, the hooker will need to speak to Lancaster again.
“You would have thought he would have learned by now,” said Leicester’s director of rugby, Richard Cockerill, and that is what Lancaster will be thinking. Never mind Wales in Cardiff in February, how would Hartley react against Wales or Australia in the World Cup if targeted, as he surely would be? Going down to 14 men, especially early in a game, could be the difference betweenmaking the knock-out stages or going out.
Northampton were able to disguise his absence, taking off the centre Tom Stephenson to keep eight forwards on the field, and it was Leicester who looked as if they were a man short despite being awarded a penalty try immediately after Hartley’s dismissal. The Saints were galvanised rather than disheartened by the loss of their captain and not only used the ball far more intelligently than Leicester but had more shape in defence and were stronger at the breakdown.
“We spoke at half-time and felt the red card was an unfortunate call by the referee,” said the centre Luther Burrell who, in front of the the watching England backs coach, Andy Farrell, caused Leicester grief all afternoon with his power and ceaseless running. “It was Tom’s first derby and he was the one sacrificed to keep our forward number up. I was determined to do it for him.
“It was a huge performance by us and a benchmark. We all showed what it means to play for this club. We all knew we would have to up our work-rate and our conditioning showed. The crowd were behind us and it was like a Test match. We all showed pride in the jersey and it was an amazing feeling when the final whistle went.”
The lead changed five times in the second half but Leicester were never able to sustain pressure. The strong running of Burrell, George North and Ken Pisi was supplemented by the sharpness of the home half-backs and James Wilson and a difference between Northampton now and a couple of seasons ago is their ability to create a try when the pressure is on.
Samu Manoa again stood out in the loose but he will join Toulon next season on a four-year contract and not be easily replaced. The Saints go into Christmas at the top of the Premiership while Leicester, despite the return of most of their injured players, look set for a battle for fourth, too one-dimensional in their play. “The outplayed us in the second half,” said Cockerill. “We got what we deserved, probably. Defensively we were poor and it was not right that the side with one back less created opportunities in the widechannels. I am disappointed.”
Northampton Wilson (Foden, 56); K Pisi (Elliott. 72), Stephenson (Haywood, 17), Burrell, North; Myler, Fotuali’i (Dickson, 62); A Waller (E Waller,62), Hartley (capt), Ma’afu (Denman, 53), Lawes, Day (Dickinson, 62), Clark (Dowson, 62), Wood, Manoa. Tries A Waller, Foden, Elliott Pens Myler 2 Con Myler. Sent off Hartley 16
LeicesterTait; Scully (Benjamin, h-t), Smith (Burns, 58), Allen, Goneva; Williams, B Youngs (capt); Ayerza (Rizzo, 58), T Youngs (Ghiraldini, 43), Cole (Balmain, 58), Kitchener, Parling, Croft (Barbieri, 53),Salvi, Crane. Tries Penalty, Goneva 2 Con Williams, Burns. Sin-bin Croft 38
Referee JP Doyle (London) Attendance 13,362
