Juarno Augustus powers Northampton to win over Castres with brace of tries
There was never much doubt over the outcome, whatever the chaos in the air, whatever the vagaries of the home team’s form. English champions at home to a side renowned, even by the standards of the French, for their seeming travel sickness is a fixture that should not require a shaman to divine.
So it turned out. Northampton emerge from the floodlit swirling rainstorm with the full complement of points, six tries and the successful reintegration of Alex Mitchell into their starting line-up. It would be misleading to describe this as a return to their champion form of last season, just as it would be unfair to describe Castres as waving them through obligingly, but this was virtually the definition of a job done, no nonsense means-end efficiency.
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With the wind and rain in their faces, the Saints opened up a 14-3 lead in the first half, with early tries from Fraser Dingwall and Temo Mayanavanua. Then, 10 minutes into the second, they had their bonus point with two further tries from the excellent Juarno Augustus and Curtis Langdon. Another from Augustus just past the hour had them 31-3 up, before Castres replied with their only try of the match, by Pierre Colonna.
Which left the stage for another dynamo in Northampton’s back row, Henry Pollock, very much one for their future, to drive through half the opposition midfield with five minutes remaining.
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Full report to follow