Cohen double leads Northampton rout

Borders 3 Northampton 39

Northampton strolled almost effortlessly to the top of Pool Four, with a six-try demolition job on Borders at Galashiels last night.

As a meaningful contest it was all over by half-time, by which time Northampton had scored four tries to register the bonus point which had eluded them in the first match between the teams. Saints had too much forward firepower, Steve Thompson, Tom Smith and Matt Lord doing all sorts of damage to the outgunned Borders' pack. Out wide Bruce Reihana, Ben Cohen and the irrepressible Mark Robinson made the most of the gaps which appeared like magic in the first half, when they ran riot.

In this tightest of Pools, Agen, Llanelli and Northampton all have the credentials to become champions, though which of them makes it through to the quarter-finals may not be decided until the last round of matches.

After last Saturday's defeat of Borders, the Northampton head coach, Wayne Smith, declared himself far from content with Saints' performance, which smacked of complacency. Saints, he said then, had neither the nous nor the vigour to claim a bonus point.

But he made only three changes from the side who won 20-3, restoring Paul Grayson and Mark Robinson at half-back in place of Shane Drahm and Johnny Howard, with Mark Tucker replacing Bruce Reihana at centre, the New Zealander moving to full-back in place of Nick Beal.

Borders, still smarting at Northampton's alleged refusal to show them proper respect in the first game, also made three changes in an effort to break their Heineken duck; the most significant of which was the return after a hamstring injury of Tanner Vili at outside-half.

Vili was the pick of the Borders backs and bagged their only first-half points with a penalty. Chris Cusiter had his moments of inspiration as did Jono Stuart and Semo Setiti, but with the Borders' pack engaged in a wearisome damage limitation exercise, the Scots were always second best in the quest for the loose ball.

Borders had their best spell when Smith sent on five replacements in as many minutes during the third quarter. Saints lost their shape, though not their defensive alignment and Borders had to call on the old warhorse Doddie Weir and Dan Kane as the home side did their best to stop themselves sliding into anonymity. Once John Leslie added a fifth try for Saints, they took a lengthy rest, before Oriol Ripol scooted in at the right corner to give the final score a resonance which reflected their overall superiority.

Borders: Penalty Vili. Northampton: Tries Reihana, Connors, Cohen 2, Leslie, Ripol; Conversions Grayson 2, Drahm; Penalty Grayson.

Borders: S Paterson; N Walker, J Stuart, K Utterson (capt), C Moir (C Murray, 74); T Vili, C Cusiter (I Fairley, 67); C Dunlea (G Cross, 52), S Scott (R Ford, 52), B Douglas (Dunlea, 70), S MacLeod, C Stewart (D Weir, 60), A Rennick (G Cross, 11-14), C Feather (D Kane, 60), S Sititi.

Northampton: B Reihana (N Beal, 48); O Ripol, M Tucker, J Leslie (capt), B Cohen; P Grayson (S Drahm, h-t), M Robinson (J Howard, 63); T Smith (B Sturgess, 50-55; 70), S Thompson (D Richmond, 48), R Morris (C Budgen, h-t), M Lord, M Connors, A Blowers (M Soden, 48; R Morris, 75), D Fox, G Seely (Budgen, 11-14).

Referee: E Darrière (France).