English Premiership/Northampton 33 Bath 18: Northampton's second English Premiership victory of the season, illuminated by some second-half brilliance from Carlos Spencer, was then cast into the shadows by allegations of racial abuse on the pitch, an incident that caused Twickenham yesterday morning to launch an inquiry.
In circumstances never before witnessed in the professional game, the referee Wayne Barnes briefly stopped the game in the 57th minute and spoke to the two captains, the New Zealander Bruce Reihana of Northampton and Bath's Zak Feaunati, a Samoan. Barnes had been alerted by the fourth official David Rose after members of the crowd had complained to a Northampton security official. After the captains had briefly spoken to their teams the match continued.
Yesterday a Rugby Football Union spokesman confirmed: "The RFU takes allegations of racism very seriously. We began an investigation this morning and we are in the process of collating reports from the match officials and relevant officers from Northampton Saints."
The players' union, the Professional Rugby Players' Association, has voiced its concern over the incident. Its chairman, the Bath prop David Barnes, played for the first 50 minutes.
He said: "None of the players I've spoken to heard anything but certainly this sort of thing can't be tolerated. I've been a professional for 11 years and never come across racial abuse on the pitch. The Premiership is a cosmopolitan league and our union has never come across an incident like this. It's a shame in a way for Northampton because no one will remember their performance."
Northampton said yesterday the incident would be discussed at a coaches' meeting this morning and the club say they will say nothing until they receive the RFU report. Bath issued a statement yesterday saying that no player or member of their staff had heard any abusive remarks.
After the match the Northampton coach Paul Grayson said: "Certainly it was a physical game but there was no atmosphere during the match and the players are as bemused as anyone."
Twickenham's referees' assessor Brian Campsall, who was in the crowd, said stewards had received "at least" one allegation of racial abuse between the players but that none of the four match officials had heard anything. Without hard evidence from players and officials Twickenham will now need to study statements from spectators to get to the bottom of the incident.
The match itself might be one that Bath would like to forget, given they had pulverised Leicester a week earlier with some sparkling backline moves.
Spencer capped his eye-catching display with the fourth and bonus-point try 10 minutes from time after Ben Cohen picked up a loose ball deep inside his own half and released Reihana for a gallop down the left touchline. Reihana slipped the ball inside to Spencer who darted over between the posts.
NORTHAMPTON: Kydd; Lamont, Reihana (capt), Quinlan, Cohen; Spencer, Robinson; Smith, Thompson, Barnard, Lord, C Short, Tupai, Fox, Daniel Browne. Replacements: Richmond for Thompson (53 mins), Myring for Kydd, Easter for Daniel Browne both (68 mins), Lewitt for Tupai (70 mins), Damien Browne for Short (75 mins), Budgen for Barnard (76 mins)
Scores: Tries: Smith, Lamont, Reihana, Spencer; Cons: Reihana 2; Pens: Reihana 3.
BATH: Abendanon; Higgins, Breene, Barkley, Maddock; Malone, Williams; Barnes, Mears, Bell, Fidler, Grewcock, P Short, Delve, Feaunati (capt). Replacements: Goodman for Delve (15 mins), Walshe for Williams (half-time), Flatman for Barnes (50 mins), Stephenson for Higgins (55 mins), Faamatuainu for Fidler, Hawkins for Mears, Davies for Barkley (all 70 mins).
Scores: Tries: Higgins, Stephenson; Con: Barkley; Pens: Barkley 2.
Sin-bin: Feaunati, 20; Grewcock 80.
Referee: W Barnes (Surrey).
- Guardian Service
