Fin Smith shows England class to sink Bath at the last and save Saints’ season

Fin Smith’s last-gasp penalty edged Northampton to a crucial victory over Bath, capped off an individual performance that will have Steve Borthwick purring before the Six Nations – and may just have saved Saints’ season.

It was the final act of a mad-cap match that Northampton had led 19-0 before Bath came roaring back, only for Smith to take advantage of Sam Underhill’s transgression at the death. Bath outscored the hosts five tries to four but this was a match Northampton simply had to win if they are to maintain hopes of getting back into the playoffs. So much of Bath’s performance demonstrated why they are so hotly backed to go one better next season but on this occasion, just as in last season’s final, Northampton squeezed home.

Smith had a hand in all four of Northampton’s first-half tries, showcasing his full array of attacking talents. The first came inside two minutes and with a touch of fortune. Smith’s long pass just about made it to George Hendy, who gathered and set off on one of his mazy runs before flinging inside to Rory Hutchinson, who shipped on to Josh Kemeny to score.

It was a breathless start, in which Bath played their part, but Hendy threatened down the left again before the visitors lost Guy Pepper – one of their finest performers all season – to injury. Moments later Northampton were over for their second with Smith again the architect, gathering his chip ahead before Alex Mitchell put Fraser Dingwall over with a well-weighted pass.

Try No 3 came with just 13 minutes on the clock – James Ramm gathering the ball well inside his own half and arcing his run through the Bath line, then away from the covering defence and all the way to the line. If Bath were guilty of some shoddy defending – they missed 13 tackles in the opening 40 minutes – they continued to threaten in attack, however. Alfie Barbeary made frequent dents in the Northampton defence, giving Finn Russell the platform he craves and after Hutchinson made a mess of a restart, Joe Cokanasiga was soon over in the corner to give Bath a foothold.

Fin Smith kicks a conversion during the game. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

It was one they built on with a gloriously-flighted pass from Russell finding Orlando Bailey, who just about squeezed over to bring Bath back to within a score but Northampton responded in fine style, the excellent Hendy gathering a left-footed grubber from Smith. Bath spent the rest of the half bashing away on the Northampton line but a combination of some resolute defence – including a thunderous tackle by Smith on Miles Reid – and some white line fever kept them out. Bath’s cause wasn’t helped by losing Will Muir to injury, forcing Josh Bayliss, who had already replaced Pepper, on to the wing, but Saints had their problems too with Hendy hobbling off just before the interval.

They got worse when both their locks, Temo Mayanavanua and Alex Coles, went off for head injury assessments after the same defensive set and while Bath were temporarily kept out, they were soon over again through Will Stuart from close range. A Smith penalty stretched Northampton’s lead to 10 before Bath made the most eye-catching use of their 7-1 “Bomb Squad” bench, introducing Thomas du Toit and Charlie Ewels. Du Toit’s impact was immediate, stopping Saints in their tracks with trademark turnover.

Indeed, Bath wrestled control of the match with tries from Max Ojomoh – after a lovely offload from Underhill – and a second for Cokanasiga after Reid had charged down Hutchinson’s hurried kick. Russell’s missed conversion kept Bath’s lead to just two points but Smith spurned the first opportunity to seize back the lead, dragging a penalty wide.

He was on target with the second however, with some help from the left-hand post, but just missed with his next shot at goal, keeping Northampton’s lead at one.

Bath thought they had pinched it when Mitchell was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Ollie Lawrence and Russell bisected the posts, only for Smith to have the final say.