Bok's double helps Saints edge Gloucester
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Louis-Rees Zammit scored a brilliant hat-trick, but it was not enough to prevent Gloucester from going down to a Springbok-inspired Northampton Saints.
Saints won 33-26 in a 59-point thriller at Franklin’s Gardens.
Bok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach scored twice for the Saints, while hooker Mikey Haywood also crossed, as the hosts secured a fifth win of the Premiership season.
Gloucester made a quick start, with Zammit crossing within seven minutes for the opening try and it took the Saints until the 33rd-minute to move ahead.
Hayward finished off a rolling maul and that changed the course of the game, with Reinach adding two tries in the second half.
Zammit added two more to underline his potential, while Chris Harris grabbed one of his own, but the Cherry & Whites fell just short.
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: Cobus Reinach of Northampton Saints is mobbed by team mates after scoring their third try during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Northampton Saints and Gloucester Rugby at Franklin’s Gardens on December 28, 2019 in Northampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
“December was a tricky old month, but any win is a good win, so we’ll take it,” Saints’ Bok, Reinach, said.
“It’s a good Christmas present to everyone here.
“We know as a team that we need to control territory and possession.
“We’ve been lacking that a bit over the last few weeks.
“Going out there, we knew it was about not leaving anything out on the field.
“We just want to build game by game and win every match.
“We’re focusing on the little processes in our team every week.”
The scorers
For Northampton Saints:
Tries: Haywood, Reinach 2
Cons: Biggar, Francis 2
Pens: Biggar 2, Francis 2
For Gloucester:
Tries: Rees-Zammit 3, Harris
Cons: Cipriani 3
Yellow card: Josh Hohneck (Gloucester, 60)
Teams:
Northampton Saints: 15 George Furbank, 14 Tom Collins, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Piers Francis, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Teimana Harrison (captain), 7 Lewis Ludlam, 6 Tom Wood, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Alex Moon, 3 Ehren Painter, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Francois van Wyk.
Replacements: 16 Sam Matavesi, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 David Ribbans, 21 Henry Taylor, 22 Andrew Symons, 23 Ahsee Tuala.
Gloucester: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Louis Rees-Zammit, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Willi Heinz (captain), 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Alex Craig, 3 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Todd Gleave, 17 Alex Seville, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Gerbrandt Grobler, 20 Freddie Clarke, 21 Joe Simpson, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Matt Banahan.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Jonathan Healy & Tim Wigglesworth.
TMO: Sean Davey.
