Northampton Saints began their Gallagher PREM title defence on Friday night with a dominant 59-26 victory over the Newcastle Red Bulls at DPD Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, propelled by hat-tricks from Tommy Freeman and 19-year-old James Pater in front of fans watching via FloRugby.
The reigning champions kicked off the new season in emphatic style just three months after beating Exeter Chiefs in the previous final at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Pater and Freeman Shine in Nine-Try Opener
Nineteen-year-old James Pater stepped into the full-back role and scored three tries, matching Tommy Freeman’s hat-trick in the comprehensive nine-try rout. Director of rugby Phil Dowson praised the youngster’s composure, noting that he does not let the occasion get to him and boasts an incredible skill set with great speed. Freeman also secured his three tries, including a score off a grubber kick from Henry Pollock, who made his 50th Saints appearance sporting Beckham-style cornrows. George Hendy, Alex Coles, and Ollie Sleightholme added further tries for Northampton.
Red Bulls Fight Back With Four Tries
Despite the heavy defeat, the new-look Red Bulls showed plenty of enterprise and secured a losing bonus point by scoring four tries. Christian Wade crossed the line twice—bringing his PREM try tally to 103—while Callum Jordan and Werner Kok also touched down for the visitors. Newcastle’s lineup featured former Saints Sam Graham and Elliot Millar Mills, alongside PREM debuts for Chris Harris and Kok.
Match Details and Streaming Information
Anthony Woodthorpe refereed the Friday night fixture, which saw Northampton build a 31-14 half-time lead before closing out the 59-26 win. Fin Smith contributed five conversions alongside two from Anthony Belleau, while Brett Connon and Zack Henry kicked conversions for Newcastle. Fans in the United States watched the action live on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
