That Northampton’s away fans has been allocated block ‘FU’ at Mattioli Woods Welford Road at the East Midlands derby summed up Leicester’s predictably confrontational approach to the fixture.
Inside three minutes Tigers prop Nicky Smith’s snarling had sparked a 30-man melee of pushing and shoving, and his relentless team kept up the aggro all afternoon.
In total, six cards were shared between the two teams – two yellows and Izaia Perese’s 20-minute red for Leicester, and three yellows for Saints – but the scoreline was a lot more lopsided, with Tigers triumphing 41-17 to register an eighth straight home win in the Prem.
Northampton were pummelled up front as a formidable front five of Smith, Jamie Blamire, Joe Heyes, George Martin and Ollie Chessum turned the screw on a pack which had lost second row Tom Lockett in the warm-up.
Northampton leaked possession at scrum and line-out, and their back division could not conjure the get-out-of-jail card that has been their trump in recent weeks.
Instead it was Leicester’s England stars who sparkled.
Jack van Poortvliet produced a delicious bump-and-run kick-through for Adam Radwan to score the first try of the second half. Freddie Steward, whose torpedo mis-pass has earlier set up Ollie Hassell-Collins’ score, weaved over for Leicester’s sixth try – a derby record.
And a mention for James O’Connor. The Australian was ushered in for only his second start since February after first-choice fly-half Billy Searle picked up an injury in training, but revelled in a fast-paced, frenetic game.
With Searle, the undisputed signing of the season, potentially being out for the rest of the campaign, O’Connor or Orlando Bailey, who flipped into the fly-half role for the final quarter, are set for a starring role in the run-in.
Tigers are now only one point off Bath, who have lost three in a row in all competitions, and the second spot which would book them a semi-final in their home fortress.
A fair bit can change between now and then, but the two meet at the Rec in the final match of the regular season.
Northampton will need to regroup. They remain top, but there was a sense that this defeat has been in the pipeline, with their defence and set-piece creaking in recent weeks.
