Lawrence Dallaglio sparked fury in Worcester by suggesting Wasps should be treated differently if, as expected, they join Warriors in administration.
Wasps, who conceded two last-minute tries to hand victory to Northampton, have a week to find £2 million to settle an unpaid tax bill.
If they fail they will be in line for the same fate as Worcester, who went into administration and were last week relegated.
Club legend Dallaglio said he hoped a “solvent” solution could be found but if it could not, that Wasps' rich pedigree should save them from Worcester’s fate.
“They [RFU] will say that any club that's in administration has to go the same way as Worcester,” Dallaglio said.
“But the reality is, do you want to lose one of the biggest brands in club rugby, in world rugby and one of the brands that's been one of the most successful sides in the Premiership? Let's hope it doesn't come to that.”
“Is this for real?” asked the now former Worcester team manager Luke Broadley.
“Big brand. Big bond. Big balls up,” added Jim O’Toole, who is leading a consortium to buy Warriors. “Someone hand him the straw he can’t quite reach.”
It might be a coincidence but as Dallaglio spoke Sky Sports reported that ex-Wasps boss David Armstrong was fronting a £50m-plus takeover bid and had requested the club be spared from relegation.
Against this background of turmoil Lee Blackett thought his players had delivered a morale-boosting win in front of a sparse crowd in Coventry.
They led 30-14 but had Jacob Umaga sent off then collapsed, conceding three tries in the last 14 minutes.
In his glory moment Northampton boss Phil Dowson spared a thought for Blackett and his players.
“I feel massive sympathy," he said. "Wasps are a club with a lot of history and they are in purgatory limbo at the moment, with so much uncertainty.
“I really hope they can get through this soon.”
WASPS - Tries: J Willis, Odogwu, Oghre, Atkinson. Cons: Umaga 2. Pens: Umaga 3, Haydon-Wood.
SAINTS - Tries: Coles 2, Sleightholme, Penalty, Skosan. Cons: Furbank, Hutchinson. Pens: Biggar 3
