Northampton stayed on track for Premiership and Champions Cup glory and Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson mentioned his crew’s supporters may dream of what could be a exceptional double.This was an epic European encounter, Dowson’s males following fellow English sides Harlequins and Exeter into the quarter-finals. Northampton will face South African giants Bulls within the final eight.Saints will certainly fancy their possibilities. They’re at present 5 factors clear on the high of the Premiership desk and could have residence benefit in opposition to the Bulls on Saturday evening. Requested if he thought a double was a sensible achievement, Dowson mentioned: ‘Sure, I feel so however we’ve acquired to maintain our toes on the bottom. We have a brief turnaround for the Bulls.’They’re a really, very gifted group. They have some large males and energy and athleticism all through their squad. There is a component of reduction. George Hendy (L) impressed Northampton Saints to a 24-14 win over Munster on Sunday Hendy scored two tries late on to assist keep the hosts’ push for a historic double this yr Munster began the match so brightly however noticed their European hopes dashed after the defeat’I assumed we regarded a bit bit nervous. Within the second half we regarded far more like ourselves.’One of the well-known days in Northampton’s historical past noticed them beat Munster to say European glory at Twickenham in 2000. Now, Saints supporters are dreaming of a repeat. MATCH FACTSNorthampton SaintsTries: James Ramm, Tommy Freeman, George Hendy (2)Cons: Fin Smith (2)MunsterTries: Sean O’Brien, Mike HaleyCons: Jack Crowley (2)Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)Attendance: 15,153Star man: James Ramm (Northampton Saints) This was the English facet’s second victory over the Irish province this season they usually deserved it. A late brace from substitute George Hendy proved the distinction.Beginning backs James Ramm and Fin Smith each had nice video games, as did hooker Curtis Langdon who’s pushing onerous for England summer time tour choice after an outstanding season.However the impression of Hendy off the bench was massively vital. He completed off a superb crew strive on the hour mark as Saints delivered some scorching rugby.Fly-half Smith despatched Ollie Sleightholme into a spot and Ramm, the excellent Australian full-back solely simply again from damage, was in assist. Hendy completed it off with an acrobatic dive into the nook.Hendy’s second was simply nearly as good. With Saints on the assault, the go to the 21-year-old was properly behind him. It compelled him to show backwards to select up possession, however that did not trouble Hendy as he swatted Eire fly-half Jack Crowley and Simon Zebo apart to make it two.’He is a freak of an athlete,’ Dowson mentioned of Hendy.It was the ultimate nail within the Munster coffin. The Irish giants, so typically a dominant power on this competitors, revealed afterwards their squad had been hit onerous by sickness within the build-up. Saints director Phil Dowson insisted his facet need to maintain their toes on the bottom after the win James Ramm was in sensational kind for the hosts and scored one strive through the matchMunster head coach Graham Rowntree, a former England assistant, mentioned: ‘It isn’t been probably the most simple week by way of choice however we rolled our sleeves up and acquired on with it for a giant sport in opposition to an excellent crew. We had a little bit of a bug going across the group.’There have been some large swings within the sport the place we may have scored a strive if somebody held a go, however they gained the ball again and some phases later, they scored.’They had been so good on transition. However these errors, I assumed we gifted them.’Munster captain Tadhg Beirne was excellent on the sector however coughed his manner by the post-match press convention, summing up his crew’s sickness struggles.Sipping on a can of Heineken as an emergency lubricant, Beirne mentioned: ‘Folks get sick – that is a part of life. You simply get on with it. There was a little bit of illness going round.’That occurs in crew environments however that is not the rationale we misplaced.’ The 2 groups served up a feast of a gap 40 which ended with them stage at 14-14The two groups served up a feast of a gap 40 which ended with them stage at 14-14. It was European rugby at its greatest as Saints confirmed their pedigree.Northampton’s attempt for the double is partly motivated by the actual fact they wish to ship England internationals and membership greats Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam out with a trophy or two.Lawes and Ludlam will each depart on the finish of the season for strikes to French golf equipment Brive and Toulon respectively. Their ultimate campaigns may but finish in superb trend.Ramm and Tommy Freeman’s first-half efforts had been cancelled out by Sean O’Brien and Mike Haley however Munster failed to attain within the second half.In entrance of a sold-out crowd of 15,153, Saints delivered. Munster’s robust travelling assist greater than performed its half in a superb event however Hendy’s late salvo ruined their afternoon. The Saints delivered in entrance of a sold-out crowd of 15,153 at Franklin’s GardensA week after getting the higher of Owen Farrell in a win over Saracens, Northampton’s England No 10 Smith edged his particular person battle with Crowley. Smith, who made his Check debut through the Six Nations, combined some beautiful passing on the line with robust defence as he continued his spectacular kind. Health allowing, he’s a certainty for England’s summer time tour matches with Japan and New Zealand alongside Marcus Smith and George Ford. He may but head to the southern hemisphere as a Premiership and European champion.Smith’s solely blemishes had been a shanked penalty try and a few missed conversions.’I am delighted. It is the primary time in a very long time we’re into the quarter-finals on this competitors,’ mentioned Dowson, who should now be dreaming of even higher issues to return. Your information to the quarter-finalsBordeaux v HarlequinsSaturday, 3pm, Stade Chaban-Delmas TV: TNT Sports activities 3Bordeaux are one of many Champions Cup’s kind groups. They’ve dismantled English league title holders Saracens twice already this season and in French wingers Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, they’ve devastating attacking threats. Harlequins have gained on French soil in Europe already this season having overwhelmed Racing 92 in Paris however this will likely be a really robust take a look at for Marcus Smith and Co.Verdict: House winLeinster v La RochelleSaturday, 5.30pm, Aviva Stadium TV: TNT Sports activities 3These sides have contested the final two Champions Cup finals with La Rochelle successful each. Even with final yr’s sport happening in Dublin, the French facet had been simply too good. Leinster do not lose too many video games however after a gradual begin to the season, La Rochelle look to be hitting kind. Not many groups beat the Stormers away from residence, as Ronan O’Gara’s facet did on Saturday to succeed in the final eight. Simply 4 factors have separated Leinster and La Rochelle throughout their final two ultimate conferences.Verdict: Away winNorthampton Saints v BullsSaturday, 8pm, Franklin’s Gardens TV: TNT Sports activities 3Top of the Gallagher Premiership and into the quarter-finals of Europe, Northampton are attainable double champions in ready. The difficulties of getting South African groups within the Champions Cup is proven at this stage of the competitors as a result of till Sunday, the Bulls did not know the place they had been taking part in. Now they need to rapidly organize journey to England. One wonders what kind of crew they’ll deliver to Northampton given they could prioritise their United Rugby Championship title bid.Verdict: House winToulouse v ExeterSunday, 3pm, Stade Ernest-Wallon TV: TNT Sports activities 1Exeter’s younger weapons beat Tub to succeed in this stage but it surely would not get a lot harder than going to Toulouse. The French facet not solely have Antoine Dupont again from worldwide sevens responsibility, however Romain Ntamack additionally returned from an extended damage lay-off to begin the 31-7 last-16 hammering of Racing 92. Rob Baxter’s Chiefs gained away at Toulon of their match opener however all indicators level to a Toulouse victory.Verdict: House win
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Northampton Saints 24-14 Munster: Late brace from substitute George Hendy proves the distinction in last-16 Champions Cup conflict… as hosts keep push for historic double
