Fin Smith’s last-gasp try breaks Exeter hearts and wins thriller for Northampton | Prem Rugby

Spring is here, the pitches are firming up and the playoff race is intensifying. As dramatic finishes go this was right up there with both Northampton and Exeter believing they had the game won at different moments. In the end the decisive thrust came from the Saints via a last-minute try from the England fly-half Fin Smith which kept the Prem leaders on track for a home semi-final

It had seemed that a 77th minute try from the Chiefs’ replacement Paul Brown-Bampoe, magnificently converted from wide out by Henry Slade, would ensure three points for both teams. Instead Smith came scampering left past a couple of tired would-be Chiefs tacklers and had the pace and nerve to skip past both for a hugely valuable score.

It had previously looked as though Henry Pollock was about to hog the headlines for the umpteenth time. Barely six minutes remained when the bleach-blond flanker received the ball in the Exeter 22 with the home defence outnumbered and barged through the last defender Harvey Skinner to touch down. Instead it was Smith who had the last laugh, just when Chiefs thought they had a share of the spoils.

It made for a collective treat of a contest on a beautiful sunny afternoon, a picture-perfect setting for anyone wanting to attract a well-heeled American investor. Exeter have struck a deal to do precisely that and their new US backers will at least have been encouraged by the narrowness of the gap between the Chiefs and the league’s current leaders. On the downside there was a lower leg injury for the long-serving Jack Yeandle and a muscle strain for Ollie Woodburn, who will now be doubtful for some potentially big games to come.

The endgame was always likely to be hectic but Exeter’s gameplan had effectively been decided for them back in September. On the season’s opening day they were 33-7 down to Saints by half-time and, while they finished up with a dramatic 33-33 draw, the priority this time was obvious. A faster start was definitely required.

Amid much local glee it soon materialised. Deft passes from Skinner and Woodburn sent Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scooting away for the game’s opening score inside 90 seconds before a tap penalty by the evergreen Yeandle laid the foundations for Will Rigg to crash over with the game barely seven minutes old.

A 14-0 cushion was precisely what the Chiefs management had wanted and, despite a sharp Saints riposte which yielded a converted try for Alex Mitchell, the hosts were also working hard without the ball. An outstanding tackle from Campbell Ridl denied Ollie Sleightholme a seemingly certain try in the left corner and, not for the first time, Saints’ lineout was also misfiring.

Neither side could find consistent rhythm in the second quarter with Yeandle’s premature departure propelling the South African Joseph Dweba into a central role. Not that it changed Exeter’s approach one iota; good line speed, pressure on opposition playmakers and a relentless work-rate are non-negotiables regardless of who is wearing the shirt.

Northampton, though, began to enjoy more possession and territory and were rewarded just before the interval when a long period camped in the Chiefs’ 22 finally ended in a long pass to an unmarked Sleighthome who was not going to be denied a second time. Smith’s excellent touchline conversion levelled it up at 14-14 with the breeze now behind the Saints, the scrum battle going the way of the visitors and the away bench looking ominous.

It was certainly not a coincidence that Baxter switched his tighthead props at half-time, bringing on Bachuki Tchumbadze to offer some different pictures to the referee. The scrum equation altered instantly and it was Exeter who scored next, the replacement Will Haydon-Wood carving through a midfield hole and almost making the line before Ridl completed the job in the left corner.

Would it be enough? With Feyi-Waboso sent to the sin-bin for getting a hand to a long looping overhead pass, Saints saw their chance and Smith’s little chip ahead was gratefully snapped up by an alert George Furbank. It appeared the momentum had shifted appreciably when Josh Kemeny went over four minutes later after a Tommy Freeman midfield break but a knock-on was spotted in the buildup. The most breathless drama was still to come.