Rugby Union: Lam slips into overdrive

Northampton 26

Wasps 21

THE FORCE is with Northampton. The force known as Pat Lam. The Western Samoan flanker, signed from Newcastle in the summer, was a one- man typhoon as he blasted through Wasps just when it mattered.

His speed of thought, pace over the ground and stunning passing, not to mention his awesome tackling, ensured that Saints stay in third place in the Allied Dunbar Premiership. His performance, coupled to a flawless display at fly-half by Paul Grayson, kept out a gutsy, but ultimately outplayed Wasps side, who suffered an injury as well when Lawrence Dallaglio went off late on with a twisted knee. England's captain was confident that he would recover within 24 hours.

If the pace of the game from start to finish was unbelievable, then the opening 20 minutes were simply breathtaking. Northampton's recycling was smart, the work of the backs was slick, made even more telling by the performance of the back row, and Lam was outstanding, supplying the scoring pass for each of Saints' opening tries.

The first saw him slip the ball to the blind-side flanker Don Mackinnon, who dummied as Lam went round on the loop and the Wasps defence parted like the Red Sea. The second try came as Nick Beal scorched up like the greyhound he is from full-back to take a stunning pass from Lam and cut through to score on the right. Grayson, who was in commanding form with the boot, out of hand as well as off the tee, landed that conversion as he had the earlier one and a penalty.

It was no surprise that after 20 minutes Northampton appeared to run out of steam and allowed Wasps to come back at them. But Saints were still able to soak up a fair amount of pressure until Wasps finally got on the scoresheet when the flanker Paul Volley was driven over from a line-out for a try which Kenny Logan converted The remainder of the half was turn and turn about.

Saints' driving was impeccable. Even when they were reduced to 14 men after Mackinnon was spotted by a touch judge punching and was consigned to the sin-bin for the remaining two minutes of the half, Saints did not flag, and as they trooped off at half-time it was to a standing ovation.

Northampton then underwent a startling transformation going from first- half fighting cocks to headless chickens after the interval. Having tripped the light fantastic in the opening period they began the next by stumbling, and almost fell on their swords .

Penalties after slip-ups saw Wasps claw their way back into a match that Saints should have put out of sight long before. It took Northampton until the start of the last quarter to pull themselves together. Logan landed three more penalties then scored in the 75th minute, but missed the conversion which would have levelled matters. Grayson's tally of 16 points finally made it safe.

Northampton: N Beal; C Moir, D Dantiacq, M Allen, J Sleightholme; P Grayson, M Dawson (capt); G Pagel, C Johnson, M Hynes, R Metcalfe, T Rodber, D Mackinnon (G Seely, 59), P Lam, B Pountney.

Wasps: J Ufton; S Roiser, L Scrase, R Henderson (N Greenstock, 70), K Logan; J Lewsey, M Friday (A Gomarsall, 70); D Molloy, T Leota, W Green, M Weedon (capt), S Shaw, J Worsley, L Dallaglio (E Rollitt, 76), P Volley.

Referee: G Warren (Bristol).