NTHMP
No.Name
15Harry Mallinder, FB
T
14Juan Pablo Estelles, W
13Rob Horne, C
12Tom Stephenson, C
11Ben Foden, W
10James Grayson, FH
9Cobus Reinach, SH
1Alex Waller, P
2Dylan Hartley, H
T
3Jamal Ford-Robinson, P
4Michael Paterson, L
5Courtney Lawes, L
6Tom Wood, FL
7Jamie Gibson, FL
8Teimana Harrison, N8
Replacements
16Mike Haywood, R
17Francois van Wyk, R
18Paul Hill, R
19Api Ratuniyarawa, R
20Mitch Eadie, R
21Nic Groom, R
22Piers Francis, R
23Ahsee Tuala, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens
7:45 PM, December 1, 2017
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'22-24 End of second half
81'22-24 Conversion - Sonatane Takulua , Newcastle Falcons
80'
80'Gutting defeat for the Saints -- they have now lost their fifth Premiership game in a row and that result is a huge blow to their hopes of getting into the Champions Cup. For the Falcons meanwhile, they have now broken their own four match losing streak. It was a great defensive performance from them, and now this could be the kick-start to the season that they need.
80'Takulua's conversion is good and the Falcons have snatched this at the death!
80'Nilli Latu is over for the try! The scores are level and there's only the conversion to go in this one!
80'22-22 Try - Nili Latu Langilangi , Newcastle Falcons
79'Falcons still trying to find a gap! They have the penalty advantage again.
79'The scrum is five meters out, right infront of the posts. The referee penalises the Saints, and the Falcons run for the posts. They are denied though. They need to find a gap in this Saints backline!
78'Player substituted - Alex Waller , Northampton Saints
78'Substitute on - Francois van Wyk , Northampton Saints
77'Falcons change their mind before Hodgson takes the kick. The clock is still running, they might want to hurry up with this!
77'Newcastle go for the line, it's touched down but is it grounded? The TMO denies the Falcons the try, but it's back for the penalty -- Joel Hodgson will kick for the corner.
76'Advantage Falcons for offside... this is dangerous for the Saints!
76'Falcons go through the phases outside the 22. They have numbers out wide and they make a break into the 22. Newcastle are going through the phases again now that they're within touching distance of the try line...
74'Newcastle were looking to lurch forward, but a loose offload was picked off by Francis, who immediately kicks... but it's out of the full! The ball is back to just outside the Saints' 22, and this is a big opportunity for the Falcons.
74'Substitute on - Cobus Reinach , Northampton Saints
74'Player substituted - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
71'Player substituted - Toby Flood , Newcastle Falcons
71'Substitute on - Joel Hodgson , Newcastle Falcons
71'Player substituted - Jamal Ford-Robinson , Northampton Saints
71'Substitute on - Paul Hill , Northampton Saints
71'Player substituted - Rob Vickers , Newcastle Falcons
71'Substitute on - Sami Mavinga , Newcastle Falcons
71'Player substituted - Calum Green , Newcastle Falcons
71'Substitute on - Will Witty , Newcastle Falcons
70'Easy for Piers Francis as he hands Saints a five point lead with ten minutes left on the clock. The next score is crucial.
70'22-17 Penalty goal - Piers Francis , Northampton Saints
69'Saints going through the phases as they look for a chink in the Newcastle defence. The Falcons are penalised for offside five meters out, and they are going to take the points.
68'We've already had two resets of this scrum... the tension is building as the Saints look to put this game beyond the Falcons!
67'Player substituted - Mark Wilson , Newcastle Falcons
67'Substitute on - Nili Latu Langilangi , Newcastle Falcons
66'Newcastle make an absolute meal of their own lineout -- they knock the ball on as they move away from the ruck. Saints win the ball back and look for the try line. It comes out to Tuala and he taps down with acres of space, but was there a knock on in the ruck? The TMO says yes and the Saints are denied by the TMO for the second time tonight. It was Saints advantage though, and we'll go back for the scrum from the Falcons' original knock on.
66'Player substituted - Kyle Cooper , Newcastle Falcons
66'Substitute on - Scott Lawson , Newcastle Falcons
64'It's all gotten a little messy! Sinoti powers away on the break. He's brought down at the last, with the Saints turning the ball over. Big prop Alex Waller makes a break of his own, covering most of the length of the pitch. He offloads to Piers Francis, but the replacement flyhalf is tackled out of play by Toby Flood.
63'Great tackle from Vereniki Goneva to deny the Saints a break away! Big hit from the Falcons' wing on Rob Horne!
62'Substitute on - Nic Groom , Northampton Saints
62'Player substituted - Cobus Reinach , Northampton Saints
61'Substitute on - Jon Welsh , Newcastle Falcons
61'Player substituted - Scott Wilson , Newcastle Falcons
61'19-17 Conversion - Piers Francis , Northampton Saints
60'Hartley, denied by the TMO earlier on, has his try! The England captain drives over from the maul and after a TMO review, the try is given. Piers Francis converts to put the Saints ahead.
60'17-17 Try - Dylan Hartley , Northampton Saints
59'The Saints think they've scored! Hartley over again, but it's back to the TMO, did he get it over and grounded?
59'A maul in the corner, but it does not come to anything and the referee calls for a penalty. Mallinder taps it into the corner for another line out.
58'Incredible kick from Mallinder! From the penalty, he kicks for touch and it sails over the head of the Falcons player before dribbling out virtually on the corner. Huge moment for the Saints.
57'Substitute on - Scott Wilson , Newcastle Falcons
57'Player substituted - Jon Welsh , Newcastle Falcons
56'Substitute on - Jon Welsh , Newcastle Falcons
56'Player substituted - Scott Wilson , Newcastle Falcons
53'A Saints opportunity, but as they move out wide, the passes get looser. Mallinder's pass looked forward but the referee waved play on, but the ball eventually trickled over the touchline after the next pass was again a loose on.
52'12-17 Penalty goal - Toby Flood , Newcastle Falcons
51'Toby Flood, fresh from the sinbin, calmly slots the penalty over the posts to put Newcastle further ahead. A five point buffer over the Saints now.
50'Falcons are dominating possession at the moment, but they are struggling to break down the Saints defence, but the pressure tells and Newcastle have the penalty. Toby Flood to kick at goal.
45'Player substituted - Tom Stephenson , Northampton Saints
45'Substitute on - Ahsee Tuala , Northampton Saints
43'It is another wasted chance for the Saints, who are penalised as they moved away from the maul. Falcons clear and Toby Flood's sin-bin is over.
42'Substitute on - Scott Wilson , Newcastle Falcons
42'Player substituted - Jon Welsh , Newcastle Falcons
41'The Saints have the big start that they needed. The ball is collected from the restart, and the Saints start to break. The ball is grubber-kicked through towards the corner, and Newcastle Falcons' Simon Hammersley collects, only to be tackled out of play. Line out five meters out for the Saints.
41'Substitute on - Piers Francis , Northampton Saints
41'Player substituted - James Grayson , Northampton Saints
41'12-14 End of first half
40'The teams are back out for the second half -- big start needed from Northampton, Toby Flood still has three minutes to go on his sin binning. Meanwhile, James Grayson has been taken off -- not a good first half for the 19-year-old. He was pretty anonymous in the first half, missing three of his five tackles. Piers Francis on.
40'Northampton Saints have struggled to keep Sinoti Sinoti quiet in the first half -- he was a major part of the Falcons' second try, and he got his own try with Newcastle's first.
40'Newcastle will be delighted to go into the break ahead after going down to 14 men. Northampton Saints, though, will be very frustrated after Dylan Hartley's try was ruled out by the TMO. A dubious decision -- and one the Saints may come to rue. Northampton have not lost five straight Premiership games since 2011, but they will need to pull something out of the bag in the second half as they go into halftime behind.
40'12-14 Start of second half
39'Newcastle force their way out of trouble -- Takulua clears to safety.
38'Huge defensive play by the Falcons! The Newcastle defence holds firm as the Saints look for a gap. A maul is eventually formed, and the Saints look as though they are headed for the try line, but Sean Robinson wraps up his man and forces the turnover! Scrum for Newcastle, pressure still on though.
37'Harsh decision by the TMO who concludes that there was no obvious grounding of the ball. It goes back for a scrum five meters out for the Saints.
37'Oh dear oh dear! The kick away from the Falcons is charged down and Tom Wood headed for the tryline. He's brought down and the Saints quickly move with options out left. It comes to Josh Matavesi, who is held up short and from the ruck, Dylan Hartley picks and dives for the line. The TMO has a very tight call -- did he go over?
35'The crowd are livening up now that the Saints have responded. Chants of 'Oh when the Saints go marching in' ring around Franklin's Garden!
34'Yellow card - Toby Flood , Newcastle Falcons
34'12-14 Penalty try
30'5-14 Conversion - Toby Flood , Newcastle Falcons
30'5-12 Try - Josh Matavesi , Newcastle Falcons
29'After a tame opening, this game is coming to life! Saints just held up short of the tryline, but the referee goes back for a penalty. It's kicked to touch and the Saints collect from the line out and power towards goal before Toby Flood collapses the maul. It's a penalty try and Flood is sent to the bin.
29'A breathtaking try for the Falcons! Brilliant take from the lineout. Chris Harris breaks away when it comes to him -- passing to Sanoti who powers through. He's brought down, but Josh Matavesi collects the offload and it's a try! Flood converts to make it 14-5.
26'5-7 Conversion - Toby Flood , Newcastle Falcons
25'5-5 Try - Sinoti Sinoti , Newcastle Falcons
24'Brilliant from Sinoti Sinoti! He's brought down as he headed for the line, but the tackler can't hold on. Sinoti gets back to his feet and powers back over the line! Toby Flood takes the conversion quickly and the drop kick is good.
22'Dreadful start from the kickoff by the Falcons -- Vereniki Goneva has his foot in touch as he collects the kick. Fortunately for the Falcons, they win the line-out and bring the ball away.
21'5-0 Try - Harry Mallinder , Northampton Saints
20'The decision pays off as the Saints go over for the first score of the game! The ball goes out wide and finds Harry Mallinder who finds a gap and he goes over for the try. James Grayson misses the conversion from wide right, so it's 5-0.
19'Penalty from the scrum goes to the Saints for standing in the scrum. The opportunity for a kick at goal is turned down and Mallinder kicks for the corner. First real chance of the game.
17'We're paused for an injury to Calum Green. He's back on his feet now though, and we're back underway with a terrible lineout Kyle Cooper -- it is nowhere near to being straight and we have a scrum to the Saints just inside the Falcons' half.
17'It's been a scrappy opening at Frankin's Garden. Besides Rob Horne's disallowed try seconds into the game, neither side have created anything. It remains scoreless after 17 minutes.
13'The line-out ended up coming to nothing and the Falcons cleared away. The ball is kicked straight back at the Falcons, and it is dropped by the Falcons player. Very sloppy indeed.
10'Great read by Michael Paterson to intercept for the Saints. Paterson keeps hold of the ball and the Saints make a breakaway. The ball is kicked through and Takulua is forced to clear for the Falcons. Line out 30m out for the Saints.
8'Saints thought they'd won the ball from the lineout, but it's knocked on by Northampton. Still dangerous for the Saints -- it's a Falcons scrum on the 22.
7'A fortunate bit of play for the Falcons. A kick through takes a deflection off a Saints player and the ball goes out on the Saint's 22 meter line. First chance of the game for the Falcons.
6'Loose kick from James Grayson. Aiming for the corner to force the territory, the ball misses the corner by a fair distance and dribbles out over the try line. Scrum to the Falcons from where the ball was kicked -- around 15 meters inside their own half.
4'The line-out is not straight and the Falcons earn the scrum. Scrappy start at Frankin's Gardens.
1'Penalty to the Saints from the scrum and Harry Mallinder kicks it into touch just outside of the 22.
1'Sloppy there from the Saints. They won the ball from a Falcons box kick, but the pass out wide is dropped. Falcons scrum in the Saints' half.
1'Penalty goes Newcastle's way from the resulting scrum and Toby Flood is able to clear for touch.
1'We're just 10 seconds and Rob Horne has already gone over for the Saints! It looks like Ben Foden knocked on though, and the TMO rules it out. Almost the most dramatic of starts!
1'The teams are heading onto the Franklin's Gardens pitch and we're just moments away from kick-off. A quick reminder of the teams; Northampton will be glad to have Dylan Hartley and Courtney Lawes back from England duty while they hand 19-year-old flyhalf James Grayson a second Premiership start. Meanwhile, Newcastle make eight changes -- scrumhalf Tane Takulua a key returnee.
1'This game kicks off week 10 of the Aviva Premiership season, and both sides are desperate for a win to keep pace with the top six.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage as Northampton Saints take on Newcastle Falcons on a bitterly cold Friday night at Franklin's Gardens. It has been a torrid few weeks of Premiership rugby for both sides -- they have both lost their last four games. Who will end their losing streak tonight? Kick off is just 15 minutes away.
1'0-0 Start of first half