Late Smith Try Seals Thrilling Northampton Victory Over Exeter

In a dramatic finale, a last-minute try by England fly-half Fin Smith propelled Northampton Saints to a 35-28 win over Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. The match seemed destined for a draw after replacement winger Paul Brown-Bampoe scored a charge-down try in the 78th minute, which was converted by Henry Slade. However, Smith's ingenious dummy allowed him to sail over the line, breaking the hearts of the Chiefs and securing a crucial victory for the Premiership leaders. Northampton's director of rugby, Paul Dowson, praised his team's resilience, saying, 'We stuck at it again in what was another proper game. It's fine margins, but I like the way we carried on playing, carrying that pressure and having that belief we could get over.' The Saints' victory was a testament to their trust in their attacking system and their determination to score. Exeter had started strongly, with England flyer Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scoring a try just 82 seconds into the game. The hosts doubled their lead five minutes later, courtesy of a Will Rigg try. Northampton fought back, with try-saving tackles from Stephen Varney and Ridl denying the Saints' duo Josh Kemeny and Ollie Sleightholme. The visitors eventually found a foothold, with George Hendy and Tom Litchfield combining to set up Alex Mitchell for a beautifully crafted try. The first half ended with the scores locked at 14-14. The second half was cagey until the Chiefs regained the lead just before the hour mark, courtesy of a Ridl try. However, the Saints' perseverance paid off, as Smith's late try sealed a thrilling victory. In other Premiership matches, Santi Carreras led Bath to a 48-15 victory over Harlequins, while Gabriel Hamer-Webb scored five tries as Leicester thumped Newcastle 62-3.