Scarlets 10 - 22 Northampton: North finds bearings to keep Saints in contention

Ending the drought: North scored his first try of the European campaign (Getty)

George North scored on his return to Scarlets to keep Northampton in the hunt for the European Champions Cup quarter-finals.

The Wales wing timed his first European try of the season to earn a bonus point on his former stomping ground. And now Saints must now hope Leicester and Exeter can do them a favour today to claim a place in the last eight as one of the three best runners-up.

On a night that appeared set up for Northampton’s trio of England forwards to impress Eddie Jones, it was teenager Harry Mallinder who stole the limelight. The boss’s son scored for a second week in a row and set up two more in what proved to be a comfortable win.

Scarlets have other priorities given they lead the Pro12, but this result hardly restored pride after their worst defeat in 21 years of European rugby last week. Saints’ Jamie Gibson took the brunt, helped off after a heavy tackle.

Northampton led 12-3 at the break but the first half summed up their season: plenty of effort but a lack of real class. England skipper-in-waiting Dylan Hartley ran himself into the ground, tackling hard in a typically committed effort, though the hooker was repeatedly picked off at the line-out.

Courtney Lawes offered a glimmer with one particular bone-jarring tackle. The lock was also on the receiving end of a forearm by Maselino Paulino that brought a yellow card, though Lawes escaped a card when he sought retribution 12 minutes from time.

Instead, Mallinder caught the eye and his range of passing and kicking, and interception score, put Saints on course. Saints were halfway to the desired bonus point on 21 minutes when George Pisi squeezed over after Paul Hill’s initial burst. Sam Dickinson finished a line-out drive before North raced onto Mallinder’s dubiously flat pass. Myler cleverly rushed his conversion before the vital bonus-point try could be reviewed.

Lee Dickson was binned for a cynical infringement as Scarlets rallied but Saints held out until prop Rhodri Jones squeezed over in the final minute.

Scarlets: M Collins (S Hughes, 61); T Williams, R King, S Shingler, DTH van der Merwe (J Lewis, 61); A Thomas, G Davies (A Davies, 55); P John (D Evans, 65), K Owens (capt, K Myhill, 64), S Lee (R Jones, 47), T Price, M Paulino (sin-bin, 48-58), A Shingler (L Rawlins, 65), W Boyde (T Phillips, 56), M Allen.

Northampton: B Foden; J Elliott, G Pisi (L Burrell, 61), H Mallinder, G North; S Myler (JJ Hanrahan, 69), T Kessell (L Dickson, 59; sin-bin, 73); A Waller (E Waller, 59), D Hartley (capt, M Haywood, 60), P Hill (G Denman, 63), C Lawes, C Day, J Gibson (J Fisher, 6), T Wood, S Dickinson (M Paterson, 64).

Referee: P Gauzere (France).