Rugby Union: Jorg clincher puts Saints in heaven

CENTRE Peter Jorgensen kept Northampton's European Cup dream alive with a 78th-minute try.

It was enough to topple French champions Biarritz in front of 10,500 fans at Franklin's Gardens.

The Wallaby had been dropped after the previous weeks' home defeat against London Irish in the league, but coach Wayne Smith brought him off the bench with ten minutes remaining.

And Jorgensen responded when he forced his way over the line after taking fit-again scrum-half Matt Dawson's sweet reverse pass.

But there was more drama to come deep into injury time when replacement forward Jon Phillips was sin-binned for foul play and the Frenchmen laid siege to the home line.

And with seven minutes added on by the referee, it took a tackle in the corner to deny scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili a sensational winning try.

It was sweet revenge for Northampton, who were beaten 20-23 in Basque country with a penalty from Yachvili seven minutes into injury time.

Saints coach Wayne Smith said: "It was a magnificent performance and showed how much we wanted it.

"The character of the team was fantastic. We went into that game without a loose forward and we needed the back row to keep going."

Saints now travel to Belfast to take on Ulster on Friday in a game that is likely to decide the group.

Northampton went into the match without world-class flankers Budge Pountney and Andrew Blowers but welcomed back England stars Dawson and winger Ben Cohen from injury.

Biarritz got off to the better start with two penalties from Yachvili but then England hooker Steve Thompson barrelled over the try line after full-back Nick Beal's break.

However, Biarritz centre Jean-Emmanuel Cassin ripped the home defence to shreds with a dazzling 50-yard try and a Yachvili penalty seven minutes into the second half left Saints trailing 7-14.

And it looked as though they were headed for a third home defeat on the trot when Paul Grayson fluffed three straightforward penalties.

But Dawson took over kicking on the hour and pulled back a penalty off the upright before repeating the trick with a conversion of Jorgensen's winner after fly-half Julien Peyrelongue had been sin- binned.

NORTHAMPTON Tries: Thompson, Jorgensen. Cons: Grayson, Dawson. Pens: Grayson.

BIARRITZ Tries: Cassin. Pens: Yachvili 3.

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