Smith furious at stumbling Saints

Northampton 20 The Borders 3

Northampton might have hung on to their coach, until the end of the season at least, but their foothold in Europe is already slipping to an alarming degree after this abject failure to register a bonus point against the weakest team in Pool Four.

Wayne Smith used his programme notes both to signal his availability for an All Black coaching position, as assistant to Graham Henry, and commit his short-term future to Saints, but most of the instructions he issued to his side must have fallen on deaf ears. With a plethora of knock-ons and a diffidence in contact, the 2000 European champions ham-fistedly handed the group initiative to Llanelli Scarlets and Agen.

"There has been a lot of conjecture about my future," Smith wrote. "There is no club I'd rather be at [than Northampton]. If the All Blacks do call, then of course I would have to think seriously about going. It is my country; my heritage. But my focus, my heart, is well and truly here. That is how it will stay until the end of the season, regardless of what happens elsewhere." This is not necessarily a huge concession, for New Zealand's Test season does not kick off until June.

As for his current charges, who finished one try and bucketfuls of composure short of a try-scoring bonus, Smith said: "We had too many people turn up not wanting to play. If you're as dominant as we were, you should put 40 points on a team."

Since Smith's arrival in December 2001 Northampton have reached two cup finals at Twickenham, losing both, and a Heineken Cup quarter-final. They are third in the Premiership and, faced with opponents coached by Smith's one-time All Black confrère, Tony Gilbert, but bottom of the Celtic League, they initially did much as they pleased. The first try arrived after 10 minutes, with Grant Seely paving the way from a scrum for his flanker, Darren Fox, to score.

Shane Drahm converted for 7-0, and added a penalty after 22 minutes, but in between there were the first signs of the dithering which would bedevil Saints. Ben Cohen, one of three England World Cup players on view - Matt Dawson was absent again with an injured calf - was forced to carry over his own goal-line before acting more decisively to chase down a 75-metre break by an ex-Saint, Craig Moir. The Borders got on the scoreboard after 29 minutes, when Northampton went offside at a ruck and Clark Laidlaw potted the penalty.

Still, there was no great attacking threat from the visitors. Only Northampton's butter-fingered handling prevented the traffic moving any quicker than the Borders experienced on a frustrating journey from their nearby hotel that saw them reach Franklin's Gardens with just 45 minutes to spare.

Early in the second half, Smith sent on Mark Robinson and Paul Grayson for Jonny Howard and Drahm. Grayson was quickly into the thick of things, switching play right then left for Andy Blowers to send Beal in at the corner in the 55th minute. Ten minutes later Bruce Reihana ran on to a grubber from Grayson and kept the ball alive for Ripol to run in the third try.

The Borders continued to defend with grit. Saints blew a useful position when Chris Budgen dropped the ball, to a groan exceeded only by the one at the final whistle. Northampton may not be too daunted by the reverse fixture next Friday; their greater challenge is to keep the pool alive until the visit of Llanelli Scarlets on Sunday 1 February, already a 12,500 sell-out.

Northampton 20 The Borders 3

Half-time: 10-3 Attendance: 11,713

Northampton: N Beal; O Ripol, B Reihana, J Leslie (capt; M Tucker, 67), B Cohen; S Drahm (P Grayson, 52), J Howard (M Robinson, 52); T Smith (B Sturgess, 65), S Thompson (D Richmond, 61), R Morris (C Budgen, 45), M Lord, M Connors, A Blowers, G Seely (M Soden, 68), D Fox.

The Borders: S Paterson; N Walker, J Stuart, K Utterson (capt), C Moir (C Fairley, 77); C Laidlaw, C Cusiter (G Armstrong, 65); K Todd (C Dunlea, 54), R Ford (S Scott, 69), B Douglas, S Macleod, C Stewart (D Weir, 69), A Rennick, S Sititi (T Walker, 65), C Feather (D Kane, 46).

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).