Northampton qualified for the knock-out stage of Europe’s top competition for the first time since they reached the final in 2011 but that was scant consolation for the Premiership champions who were overwhelmed by a Racing Métro side whose only previous away victories this season had been at Montpellier and Treviso.
For all the lavish amounts of money spent by the Racing president, Jacky Lorenzetti, their record in the European Cup or its predecessor before this season was underwhelming but they emerged from a pool that was not the most taxing with an unbeaten record that earned them the top seeding and a desire to wrench the crown from a club whose big spending has amounted to more, Toulon.
“We have a big squad with a lot of depth and we want to make an impact in the league and in Europe,” said Racing’s Wales centre Jamie Roberts, whose ability to cross the gainline and make significant ground was a core factor in his club’s emphatic win as they shocked Northampton with three tries in four minutes either side of the interval. “We have a home draw and no one will be looking forward to coming to Paris,” he said.
Roberts was up against an England hopeful, Luther Burrell, less than two weeks before Wales play England in Cardiff in their opening Six Nations game and shredded his opponent in front of the England backs coach Andy Farrell. Burrell, who plays at 12 for Northampton but is considered a 13 by his country, has not had an impressive tackle completion rate this season and it worsened as he kept getting caught out by a side that did not tire as the Saints expected.
“It was only the third game I have played since the November internationals,” Roberts said. “The squad is so big that you sometimes find you do not play for a couple of weeks. It is frustrating but when you have the opportunity in a big match you have to deliver and I am glad I did. Luther plays in a similar mould to me. He is very physical and very direct and he is a dangerous player. England have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield with Luther, Brad Barritt, Billy Twelvetrees, Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph. It will be a huge match-up whoever they pick.
“The game against England promises to be an epic battle: it is World Cup year and they are in our pool. It was a special day when we played them two years ago and the ingredients are there next month to better that. It is a game that as a player you want to be part of and it will be good to go into camp on Monday.”
There was only woe for Farrell and the England forwards coach, Graham Rowntree, who saw Dylan Hartley receive another card, yellow this time, for not getting to his feet before making a potentially try-saving tackle, while the flanker Tom Wood hobbled off with a twisted ankle. The Saints said the problem looked minor, but that was their initial diagnosis of Ben Foden’s knee injury at Ospreys six days before and the full-back will not play again this season.
Northampton’s most prominent player was the Wales wing George North, who has been told by his national coaches to get more involved in matches. “George has been the first to admit that in November he was probably off his game a little bit but the guy is sensational,” said Roberts. “He has achieved so much in the game at a young age and he just has to keep working hard on his game. He is like a wrecking ball in possession and I far prefer to play alongside him than against him.”
Northampton had expected a home quarter-final in April, or at least one in Milton Keynes because their ground does not yet hold 15,000 spectators, but they will be catching a plane to play Clermont Auvergne rather than taking a hop down the M1. “It is frustrating but we have to refocus and get on with it,” said the club’s director of rugby, Jim Mallinder. “We enjoy challenges.”
Northampton Wilson (Elliott, 67); K Pisi, G Pisi, Burrell (Stephenson, 64), North; Myler, L Dickson (Fotuali’i, 54); Corbisiero (A Waller, 54), Hartley (capt; Haywood, 59), Ma’afu (Denman, 47), Dickinson, Day, Wood (Dowson, 46), Clark, Manoa (Harrison, 64).
Sin-bin Hartley 13. Try North. Pen Myler.
Racing Métro Lapeyre; Imhoff (Goosen, 50), Chavancy, Roberts, Thomas; Dambielle (Goosen, 70), Machenaud (Phillips, 57); Ben Arous (Brugnaut, 62), Szarzewski (capt; Lacombe, 62), Ducalcon (Mujati, 62), Charteris, Van der Merwe (Kruger, 62), Lauret, Le Roux, Claassen (Gerondeau, 72).
Sin-bin Lapeyre 55. Tries Imhoff 2, Lapeyre, Roberts. Cons Machenaud 2, Dambielle. Pens Machenaud 2.
Referee N Owens (Wal). Attendance 13,362
