Drahm's one-man show pushes stuttering Saints into the drop zone

Northampton's policy, stated by owner Keith Barwell, makes Franklin's Gardens home to a variety of overseas talent, mostly from New Zealand, mostly pushing or past 30. Why employ British Test players when you won't see them for half the year?

Good point. In theory. Yesterday another big crowd at the best club stadium in the land saw Bruce Reihana's multinationals lose 22-21 to Worcester.

The home side's points came from tries by Darren Fox and Rhodri Davies and 11 points from Reihana's boot. Worcester, who lost the No 8 Kai Horstmann after two yellow cards, thanked the former Queensland (and Northampton) No 10 Shane Drahm for all their points, with a try, a conversion and five penalties. As Leeds' unlikely revival continues, Reihana's missed penalty in the last minute means that Saints are now firmly in the relegation zone.

Saracens and Gloucester are both firmly in mid-table. At Kingsholm, tries from the home side's highly rated young wings, Mark Foster and James Bailey, and the fly-half Ludovic Mercier's nine points were enough for a valuable win.

Saracens, still missing Andy Farrell and displaying an inconsistency which must drive their coach, the no-nonsense northerner Steve Diamond, absolutely nuts, managed a try from the hooker Matt Cairns and one Glen Jackson penalty.

A wayward pass from Jackson gifted Bailey his try and guaranteed the losers a beasting or two in training this week.