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Northampton Saints vs Newcastle Red Bulls · Premiership Rugby

Premiership Rugby · 2026-27Full time
Northampton Saints
59–26
Newcastle Red Bulls

Timeline

  1. Kick-off
  2. TryJames Pater
    3'5–0
    Northampton Saints
  3. ConversionFin Smith
    4'7–0
    Northampton Saints
  4. 11'7–5
    TryChristian Wade
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  5. 12'7–7
    ConversionBrett Connon
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  6. TryJames Pater
    14'12–7
    Northampton Saints
  7. 14'
    Yellow cardHarrison Obatoyinbo
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  8. TryGeorge Hendy
    22'17–7
    Northampton Saints
  9. ConversionFin Smith
    22'19–7
    Northampton Saints
  10. TryTommy Freeman
    24'24–7
    Northampton Saints
  11. 25'
    SubstitutionZack Henry on for Brett Connon
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  12. 37'24–12
    TryChristian Wade
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  13. 38'24–14
    ConversionZack Henry
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  14. TryAlex Coles
    39'29–14
    Northampton Saints
  15. ConversionFin Smith
    40'31–14
    Northampton Saints
  16. Half-time
  17. 42'
    Yellow cardPouri Rakete-Stones
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  18. 44'
    SubstitutionFranco Molina on for Oscar Usher
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  19. 44'
    SubstitutionTom West on for Max Hicks
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  20. TryTommy Freeman
    48'36–14
    Northampton Saints
  21. ConversionFin Smith
    49'38–14
    Northampton Saints
  22. 49'
    SubstitutionHoskins Sotutu on for Sam Graham
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  23. 53'
    SubstitutionSimon Benitez Cruz on for James Elliott
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  24. SubstitutionRobbie Smith on for Curtis Langdon
    55'
    Northampton Saints
  25. SubstitutionTom Lockett on for Alex Coles
    55'
    Northampton Saints
  26. SubstitutionAlex Mitchell on for Archie McParland
    56'
    Northampton Saints
  27. 56'
    SubstitutionJames Harper on for Elliot Millar Mills
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  28. 56'
    SubstitutionOllie Fletcher on for George McGuigan
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  29. SubstitutionIon Neculai on for Cleopas Kundiona
    56'
    Northampton Saints
  30. SubstitutionDanilo Fischetti on for Emmanuel Iyogun
    56'
    Northampton Saints
  31. 57'38–19
    TryCameron Jordan
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  32. 58'38–21
    ConversionZack Henry
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  33. TryTommy Freeman
    61'43–21
    Northampton Saints
  34. ConversionFin Smith
    62'45–21
    Northampton Saints
  35. 64'
    SubstitutionOllie Leatherbarrow on for Tom Christie
    Newcastle Red Bulls
  36. SubstitutionAnthony Belleau on for Fin Smith
    72'
    Northampton Saints
  37. SubstitutionJosh Taylor on for Josh Kemeny
    72'
    Northampton Saints
  38. SubstitutionOllie Sleightholme on for Tommy Freeman
    72'
    Northampton Saints
  39. TryOllie Sleightholme
    73'50–21
    Northampton Saints
  40. ConversionAnthony Belleau
    73'52–21
    Northampton Saints
  41. TryJames Pater
    76'57–21
    Northampton Saints
  42. ConversionAnthony Belleau
    77'59–21
    Northampton Saints

This timeline is incomplete: its scoring events add up to 59-21; the final score is 59-26.

Team stats

Northampton SaintsNewcastle Red Bulls
51%Possession49%
44%Territory56%
9Tries3
130Carries114
717Metres carried431
18Clean breaks6
26Defenders beaten16
16Offloads9
185Passes133
161Tackles102
16Missed tackles26
80%Tackle success68%
5Turnovers won1
9Penalties conceded9
11/12Scrums won6/6
9/11Lineouts won6/8
16Kicks from hand12

Match report

Northampton Saints opened their Premiership Rugby campaign with a commanding 59-26 victory over Newcastle Red Bulls at Franklin's Gardens on Friday evening. The bonus-point win lifted Saints to the top of the table after the opening round, while Newcastle sit fourth without a point following their 33-point defeat.

The result extended Northampton's head-to-head dominance to four wins in the last five meetings between the sides. Saints had edged their most recent Premiership encounter 28-27 in March, and this emphatic triumph underlined their credentials as early-season pace-setters in a ten-team competition.

Written by AI from the official match data.

Head to head

4
Northampton Saints wins (80%)
0
Draws (0%)
1
Newcastle Red Bulls wins (20%)

Last 5 meetings, since October 2025

Biggest Northampton Saints win
59–26
25 Sept 2026
Biggest Newcastle Red Bulls win
31–14
15 Nov 2025

Last 5 meetings

  • 25 Sept 2026Northampton Saints59–26Newcastle Red Bulls
  • 21 Mar 2026Northampton Saints28–27Newcastle Red Bulls
  • 20 Feb 2026Newcastle Red Bulls21–49Northampton Saints
  • 15 Nov 2025Northampton Saints14–31Newcastle Red Bulls
  • 17 Oct 2025Newcastle Red Bulls19–36Northampton Saints

Lineups

Avg. age
25.3
Avg. age
29.7

Northampton Saints

  1. 1Emmanuel Iyogun(25)
  2. 2Curtis Langdon(29)
  3. 3Cleopas Kundiona(27)
  4. 4Alex Coles(27)
  5. 5Ed Prowse(25)
  6. 6Josh Kemeny(27)
  7. 7Henry Pollock(21)
  8. 8Callum Chick(29)
  9. 9Archie McParland(21)
  10. 10Fin Smith(24)
  11. 11George Hendy(24)
  12. 12Fraser Dingwall(27)
  13. 13Rory Hutchinson(30)
  14. 14Tommy Freeman(25)
  15. 15James Pater(19)
Replacements
  1. 16Robbie Smith(28)
  2. 17Danilo Fischetti(28)
  3. 18Ion Neculai(25)
  4. 19Tom Lockett(24)
  5. 20Josh Taylor(24)
  6. 21Alex Mitchell(29)
  7. 22Anthony Belleau(30)
  8. 23Ollie Sleightholme(26)

Newcastle Red Bulls

  1. 1Pouri Rakete-Stones(29)
  2. 2George McGuigan(33)
  3. 3Elliot Millar Mills(34)
  4. 4Oscar Usher(22)
  5. 5Cameron Jordan(26)
  6. 6Max Hicks(27)
  7. 7Tom Christie(28)
  8. 8Sam Graham(29)
  9. 9James Elliott(28)
  10. 10Brett Connon(30)
  11. 11Werner Kok(33)
  12. 12Chris Harris(35)
  13. 13Alex Hearle(27)
  14. 14Christian Wade(35)
  15. 15Harrison Obatoyinbo
Replacements
  1. 16Ollie Fletcher(24)
  2. 17Tom West(30)
  3. 18James Harper(26)
  4. 19Franco Molina(29)
  5. 20Ollie Leatherbarrow(24)
  6. 21Simon Benitez Cruz(36)
  7. 22Zack Henry(32)
  8. 23Hoskins Sotutu(28)