Premiership: Northampton Saints boss Phil Dowson bemoans being ‘brutally’ exposed in Bristol Bears defeat

Records tumbled at Ashton Gate on Friday night as Northampton Saints fell to their heaviest defeat in the Premiership, as Bristol Bears claimed a 62-8 victory.

Northampton boss Phil Dowson described the loss as “a humbling experience” and added that Bristol “brutally” exposed his side’s weakness.

Saints conceded nine tries and scored just one as Bristol posted a third successive league win.

“Humbling experience”

“It was a humbling experience,” Northampton director of rugby Dowson said.

“That is not acceptable, and we need to make sure we rectify it very quickly.

“Fraser (Northampton captain Fraser Dingwall) felt that when they (Bristol) got scores ahead, our heads were down. That is not something that we have encountered a lot.

“Nobody wants to be associated with that. That is not a record that any of those players want to have their fingerprints on.

“They are going to have to deal with that; I am going to have to deal with that as director of rugby. We simply have to be better than that.

“We didn’t turn up, clearly, at times. We started well, dropped off, went behind, and we stopped.

“We’ve seen throughout the season our capability and also chinks in the armour, and they were exposed brutally today.

“Tonight was a big game, and we blew it. They are proud lads, and that wasn’t a representation of what I think we are about as a club, and therefore we need to rectify that.”

Bears keep play-off hopes alive

Harry Randall scored twice while Harry Thacker and wing Ioan Lloyd added further tries to secure a bonus point before half-time.

Lloyd grabbed another after the break, with Chris Vui, George Kloska, Fitz Harding and Jake Heenan scoring further tries to seal the comprehensive win.

AJ MacGinty kicked four conversions and a penalty, with centre James Williams adding three conversions. All Northampton could muster was a George Hendy try and Fin Smith penalty.

Bristol now have five games left to secure a play-off place after a poor start to the Premiership season. With their tails up, a concerted semi-final push looks likely.

“I am very proud of the boys. It is satisfying because of the work we have been doing,” Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said after the match.

“We knew we had to be on our game, and the two things I am probably most proud of is our defence and how the players fought right through until the end.

“It was a very good performance, and now we have got to go again.

“We still have a chance (of the top-four). We have put our heads down and focused on what we can control. Every game for us is a final.”

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