Northampton topped the table after 18 regular season games to set up the highly anticipated showdown with their regional neighbours, who finished fourth in the table in Geoff Parling’s first season as a head coach.
A bustling run from Henry Pollock down the right laid the foundations for what was the fastest try to be scored in a Prem play-off game, as Litchfield scythed through Tigers’ resistance after just 87 seconds.
Leicester’s response was swift – with Liebenberg powering over in what proved to be his final appearance for Leicester, before fit-again England international Steward stretched over to score with the right hand which he had thumb surgery on just weeks ago.
A mix-up between Steward and Billy Searle, as they attempted to field a searching grubber kick from Rory Hutchinson, allowed Litchfield to pounce for his second try.
A pinpoint Fin Smith kick to find Freeman on the right edge, and the quick thinking from the winger to then side-foot the ball on to himself, made for a spectacular third try for the hosts.
Pollock had another Saints try overruled before Tigers hit back in fine style, with Searle finding Hassell-Collins with a clever kick out wide in the 36th minute and the winger finishing well.
And yet the first-half scoring spree did not end there, with Litchfield muscling over with a last gasp effort to complete his treble.
The game continued at a frenetic pace after the interval, with Furbank’s first try followed up by a score from Bailey that kept Tigers in touch as Northampton threatened to pull away.
While the television match official chalked off an Elliot Millar Mills try on the hour mark, Saints eventually added to their advantage through McParland – who finished a flowing move that shifted through the hands of Tom Pearson, Fraser Dingwall and Furbank.
Hassell-Collins’ second try of the night gave Leicester hope of a late fightback, but Furbank put the result beyond doubt when he dived over for his own brace of tries for a Saints side that finished with 14 men after Craig Wright was sin-binned in the 78th minute.
Northampton Saints: Furbank; Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Hendy; Smith, McParland; Iyogun, Langdon, Millar Mills; Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock.
Replacements: Wright, Fischetti, Green, Van Der Mescht, Lockett, Chick, Weimann, Dingwall.
Sin-bin: Wright (78)
Leicester Tigers: Steward; Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle, Van Poortvliet; Smith, Blamire, Heyes; Martin, Chessum, Liebenberg, Reffell, Moro.
Replacements: Clare, Van der Flier, Hurd, Henderson, Cracknell, Whiteley, Kata, Perese.
Referee: Luke Pearce.
Leave a Reply