karlpejera: Northampton 31-24 Leeds | Premiership match report

Northampton 31-24 Leeds

Relegation is a horrible thing for a professional rugby team, not least because of the way it rips apart clubs already in the financial mire. Leeds battled gallantly to the end but, unless the Cornish Pirates do them an unlikely favour, this could be the last Premiership game involving a Yorkshire side for the foreseeable future. Even as Neil Back and his squad gathered for one last post-match huddle there was a strong end-of-an-era feeling.

The pain may be about to intensify. It will be a surprise, in particular, if the England flanker Hendre Fourie and Back himself are still at Leeds next season. Despite the parachute payment to which the club are entitled, the board may yet opt to slash their playing budget before the Championship final between Worcester and the Pirates is settled on 18 May. If Pirates win, then Leeds escape because Pirates do not meet ground criteria for the Premiership.

Back was studiously non-commital when asked about his future but does not expect to beat the drop. "My money, if I was a betting man, would definitely be on Worcester. I think they've got too much quality to let the scare they had against Bedford happen again. Over two games I can only see one winner."

Fourie, outstanding yet again in a losing cause, also stressed his future was up to the board. "It's in the club's hands. We'll have to wait and see what their decision is, then I'll make my decision." He is likely to be on holiday in his native South Africa when Leeds's fate is finally decided, hoping for a miracle: "I'll definitely keep an eye on the internet just in case. Nobody gave us a chance against Northampton and we almost pulled it off. Come on Pirates!"

The impressive Fourie, though, is not alone in believing the current system needs re-examining. Six of the last seven promoted sides (the exception was Leeds in 2008) have now stayed up the following year. But the landscape is fast changing. Those who believe automatic relegation is essential forget that hardly any Championship clubs, under the present criteria, have a hope of promotion.

Neither Bristol nor Leeds, furthermore, have the kind of financial backing which allowed Worcester to retain their better players. Should Newcastle finish bottom next season, there must already be a good chance they will stay up. "In France most of the teams in Pro 2 can get promoted," observed Fourie, advocating a Super League-style licensing system which would give Premiership and Championship sides alike three years of certainty. "In those three years Premiership clubs would become stronger across the board. You wouldn't just have the top six and the bottom six."

Northampton, admittedly, have been where Leeds are now and emerged the stronger for it. The difference is they could afford to invest in a stronger squad which remains in contention for a domestic and European double. They cannot perform like this, though, if they intend to beat Leicester and Leinster in their next two all-important games. At 24-3 down to desperate opponents who had scored three well-taken first-quarter tries, they were even in danger of missing the play?offs entirely.

Order was belatedly restored, thanks partly to the efforts of the referee, Andrew Small, but Dylan Hartley scolded his team afterwards for not giving the four departing Saints ? Bruce Reihana, Joe Ansbro, Shane Geraghty and Mark Easter ? a better send?off. A sick Phil Dowson had to be hauled off at half-time and Ben Foden suffered an ankle knock but both should be fit for Welford Road, with Tom Wood also due to have a scan this week to determine if he can participate in the run-in.

Hartley, in particular, is in splendid form and Jim Mallinder, his director of rugby, sees no reason why the Saints cannot go to Leicester and win. "They're a quality side and they're very strong at home but on our day we're not a bad side. We've played well in big games this year and there's no reason why we can't do that again."

How Back would love to be in Mallinder's position. Instead he can only reflect on what might have been had the replacement Uche Oduoza squeezed over in the left corner in the final seconds to secure a four-try bonus point.

"Over the course of 22 games we haven't been good enough ... that's the reality," said the former England flanker, deprived of his international hooker Steve Thompson because of injury. "It's tough to take, particularly as they had a million pounds worth of players available on the bench." Leeds have had a poor season but it is not in the interests of English rugby union for the club to disintegrate.

Northampton Foden; Ashton, Ansbro, Downey, Diggin (Reihana, 57); Geraghty (Myler, 51), Commins (Dickson h-t); Waller (Tonga'uiha, 61), Sharman (Hartley, 45), Mujati (Mercey, 66), Sorenson (Lawes, 59), Day, Easter, Dowson (capt; Clark, h-t), Wilson.

Tries Dowson, penalty try, Ashton. Cons Geraghty 2. Pens Geraghty, Myler 3.

Sin-bin Diggin 27.

Leeds Carnegie Stephenson; Blackett, Fa'afili, Barrow, Wackett (Oduoza, 58); Jarvis (Lewis-Pratt, 71), Mathie (White, 77); MacDonald (Hardy, 58), Nilsen (Hannon, 72), Gomez (Denman, 76), Browne, Myall (capt), Oakley (Denton, 67), Fourie, To'oala (Paul, 51).

Tries Fourie, Oakley, Wackett. Cons Jarvis 3. Pen Jarvis.

Sin-bin Blackett 27, Gomez 37.

Referee A Small (RFU). Attendance 13,239.

Robert Kitson

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