Wanderers 31 Braves 21
Northampton Wanderers 31
Exeter Braves 21
Mark Stevens at Franklin’s Gardens
Hopes of more silverware being added to the Sandy Park trophy cabinet were thwarted as Northampton Wanderers claimed the spoils in this season’s Aviva A League final.
Exeter Braves put up a manful fight at Franklin’s Gardens, courtesy of converted tries from Moray Low, Tom Lawday and Matt Kvesic, but sadly it wasn’t enough to deny their hosts.
Fly-half James Grayson slotted four penalties, as well as converting two of their three tries, which came from Lewis Ludlum, Jamal Ford-Robinson and Paddy Ryan.
Fresh from semi-final success against Newcastle Falcons the week previous, the Braves were virtually unchanged for their trip to the East Midlands. The only changes in personnel came in the pack where Billy Keast started at loosehead, meaning Low shunted across to tight-head in place of the injured Marcus Street, while Sean Lonsdale got the nod in the engine room alongside Toby Salmon.
The visiting backline was untouched, meaning further game time for both Michele Campagnaro and Max Bodilly as they look to work their way back to full fitness after lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Hosts Northampton, who like the Braves had impressed during the qualifying stages, were able to parade a powerful line-up on home turf. Indeed, it took the Wanderers just three minutes to open their account, Grayson slotting a lengthy penalty after the visitors were pulled up for holding on just inside their own 22.
Hardly the start the Braves would have craved, they responded brightly and went close through both Bodilly and skipper James Freeman, the latter deemed to have been held up on the line by a combination of home defenders.
Undeterred, the visitors continued to push forward and they claimed the game’s opening try on 13 minutes. Lawday sparked the initial attack, before Will Chudley took the ball on. A high tackle on the Exeter scrum-half allowed the Braves to play the advantage, the fruits of which resulted in a close-range converted score for Scottish international Low.
Moments later and the Braves were again on the front foot thanks to strong carries from the lively Lawday and Tom Hendrickson. Both made decent inroads into the home defence, before Chudley sniped for the line off a ruck deep inside the home 22. Although he was felled, the forwards took up the charge and it appeared Lonsdale had found his way over the line. Referee Jack Makepeace had other ideas, stating the lock had been held up and awarded a scrum five metres out.
Northampton made the most of the let-off, winning back possession and raiding down field themselves through Collins and Ken Pisi. They both made decent yardage before the ball was flung across the width of the pitch to the waiting Ludlam, who was able to touchdown with relative ease in the left corner.
Just as they had done earlier, though, the Braves responded rapidly with a second try of the night. Great turnover work from Matt Kvesic saw him rip back possession for the visitors, who worked the ball inside to Lawday, who showes great footwork and then fended off Collins to score under the posts. Morley converted the straight-forward penalty to extend his side’s lead.
As half time approached, both sides threw caution to the wind in terms of attack, but it was the hosts who profited thanks to two successful penalties from Grayson to level the game up at the break.
HALF TIME NORTHAMPTON WANDERERS 14 EXETER BRAVES 14
With nothing to choose between the teams following an entertaining first half, it was the Braves who came out of the traps flying at the start of the second half. Pellow’s side produced a powerful opening blast of attacks, which clearly sapped the energy from their hosts.
Although Northampton did well to repel the threat, once the Braves got to within sniffing distance of the line, the tried-and-trusted, pick-and-go approach was adopted, yielding reward for Kvesic, who was able to bulldoze his way over for the score converted by Morley.
Back in front once more, the Braves could hold onto the lead for only a couple of minutes as their rivals drew level almost immediately. Ford-Robinson, the former Cornish Pirates and Bristol prop, raided down the left flank at a rate of knots for a forward, before it was worked back inside to his fellow pack members.
Still with plenty to do, they slowly wrestled their way towards the line, eventually creating the opening for Ford-Robinson to burrow his way over the whitewash.
Grayson obliged with the additional two points to that score and Northampton’s third that arrived just past the hour mark. Having leaked a penalty on halfway, the Braves did well to repel the resultant five-metre line-out drive, but when Alex Mitchell sniped off the maul, he created the platform from which the hosts were able to drive Ryan over for the score.
The Braves looked to wrestle the momentum back in their favour as the game ticked into the latter stages, but they were too often found guilty of trying to over complicate matters. Campagnaro spilt a glorious chance after solid approach work, while Hendrickson found his path blocked twice by some stubborn home defence.
Having soaked up what the Braves could throw at them, Grayson landed another decisive blow on the Devonians when he stroked over a fourth penalty after James Short had been pulled up for holding on midway inside his own half.
Ten points down with five minutes remaining, the Braves dug deep to try and summon a late fightback. They offered plenty of grunt and determination, but when they were held up on the home line, the moment was ultimately lost.
A huge shove from the Northampton eight on the resultant scrum underlined their desire for glory, winning a penalty in the process. Grayson punted that into the stands to trigger jubilant scenes amongst the home faithful.
In truth, the Braves could have few complaints come the final whistle, now the job will be to regroup quickly and focus attentions to the overall picture and the reclaiming of the Premiership crown next month.
Northampton: T Collins; K Pisi, F Dingwall, T Stephenson (capt), N Tuitavake; J Grayson, A Mitchell; F van Wyk (M Beesley 75), C Clare (J Fish 60), J Ford-Robinson (E Painter 54); D Onojaife, A Moon; L Ludlam, P Ryan, B Nutley (W Allman 70). Replacements: M Beesley, T Trinder, W Allman, T Emery, F Strachan, J Elliott
Tries - Ludlam, Ford-Robinson, Ryan; Conversion - Grayson (2); Penalties - Grayson (4)
Braves: M Bodilly; T O’Flaherty, M Campagnaro, T Hendrickson (H Strong 75), J Short; S Morley (H Skinner 59), W Chudley; B Keast (J Kenny 70), S Malton (J Innard 54), M Low; T Salmon (J Caulfield 75), S Lonsdale (W Van der Sluys 70); J Freeman (capt), M Kvesic, T Lawday. Replacements: D Southworth, J Snow
Tries - Low, Lawday, Kvesic; Conversions - Morley (3)
Referee: J Makepeace
Attendance: 3,390