Freeman stars as Northampton beat Bath to go top

Tommy Freeman scores a hat-trick as Northampton leapfrog Bath and go top of the Prem with an stellar 41-21 victory.

Henry Pollock (left) looks at Tommy Freeman (right) as both hold their arms out and mouths open ready to embrace in celebration of a try
England pair Henry Pollock (left) and Tommy Freeman (right) scored five tries as Saints inflicted a rare home defeat on Bath [Getty Images]

The Prem

Bath (14) 21

Tries: Du Toit 2, Dunn Cons: Russell 3

Northampton (14) 41

Tries: Freeman 3, McParland, Pollock 2 Cons: Belleau 4 Pens: Belleau

Tommy Freeman scored a hat-trick as Northampton leapfrogged Bath to go top of the Prem with a stellar 41-21 victory in an enthralling clash at the Recreation Ground.

Freeman's England team-mate Henry Pollock scored two more of Saints' tries, with Archie MacParland getting another, as the visitors ended run of 11 consecutive wins at home for the reigning Prem champions.

Saints, who saw two more potential tries chalked off by the television match official as they dominated in almost every area on the field, scored 27 unopposed points during the second-half.

Bath, whose tries came via props Thomas du Toit (two) and Tom Dunn, drop to second in the table with their second loss this season.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Arundell; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, du Toit; Roux, Molony, Bayliss, Underhill, Reid.

Replacements: Frost, Van Wyk, Griffin, Hill, Pepper, Carr-Smith, Carreras, Harris.

Sin bin: Frost (65)

Northampton: Hendy; Todaro, Freeman, Hutchinson, Ramm; Belleau, McParland; Iyogun, Smith, Davison; Prowse, Munga, Chick (c), Graham, Pollock.

Replacements: Walker, Scola, Millar Mills, Benson, Brown, James, Lumley, Sleightholme.

Sin bin: Prowse (12)

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys

Category: General Sports