Summary

  • Northampton score seven tries in frenetic 49-41 victory over Castres to book Champions Cup quarter-final spot

  • Prem leaders will face either Bath or Saracens in last eight

  • French side, who had two players sin-binned in first 20 minutes, led 15-14 at half-time

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Live Reporting

Tim Oscroft

  1. Northampton 42-27 Castres

    Castres are not out of this yet, rampaging down the right and then moving left, Vuate Karawalevu being stopped just short of the line by the flag.

  2. Northampton 42-27 Castres

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-Northampton and England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Archie McParland scoresGetty Images

    We were talking about Archie McParland a few minutes ago, giving away another intercept and potentially costing his team another seven points, and now he's back scoring.

    A sensational finish.

  3. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 42-27 Castres

    Archie McParland (con: Belleau)

    Saints are away and clear now, surely?

    Scrum-half Archie McParland gets the ball back after a lineout, shaping to pass a couple of times before gliding away and over the whitewash.

  4. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 35-27 Castres

    George Furbank (con: Belleau)

    George Furbank carries the ballGetty Images

    Unbelievable!

    A wonderful try for the hosts, who slickly move the ball left until George Furbank has it on the 22. He kicks in the afterburners and zooms over for a try that Anthony Belleau converts.

    Breathless stuff.

  5. No try

    Northampton 28-27 Castres

    The referee explains that the knock-on will cancel out the try, so it is as you were.

    Castres accept it with no complaints - classy.

  6. Try review

    Northampton 28-27 Castres

    Oh. My. Word.

    Vuate Karawalevu intercepts and races clear.

    Hang on - was there a knock-on at the kick off....

  7. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 28-27 Castres

    Vuate Karawalevu (Con: Herve)

    Subtle it ain't but Castres are right back in this after the winger crashes in off the left wing to barge through Tommy Freeman for a converted try.

  8. Northampton 28-20 Castres

    Tyler Ardron was substituted just after his try, and he is chuntering away to his bench on the sidelines about it.

  9. Northampton 28-20 Castres

    Castres are fighting back here!

    Santiago Arata zooms down the left and then feeds Aurelien Azar, but the ball goes loose and Henry Pollock is back behind his own try line to flop down on it.

  10. try

    Try - Northampton 28-20 Castres

    Tyler Ardron

    Castres hit back after a Saints error!

    Archie McParland shovels the ball to his left, but straight to the Castres number seven Tyler Ardron, who runs in unopposed.

    The conversion is missed - that might be vital later on - and the home fans are convinced that Ardron was offside anyway.

  11. Northampton 28-15 Castres

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-Northampton and England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Tommy Freeman scores a tryGetty Images

    It's just a joy to watch. Castres were chasing shadows defensively there.

    It's so good and because they're all tuned into each other, they understand the opportunity that's created by just one body movement.

  12. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 28-15 Castres

    Tommy Freeman (con: Belleau)

    Classy!

    The ball goes to the right, Fraser Dingwall's deft back-of-the-hand pass finds George Furbank, and his pass allows Tommy Freeman the time and space to run in near the corner.

    Anthony Belleau converting with aplomb.

  13. Northampton 21-15 Castres

    Tyler Ardron gets away with one, a knock-on being deemed not deliberate but Saints get a scrum on halfway on the left flank.

    They destroy the Castres scrum at the first attempt, winning a scrum penalty to bring a whoop from the home forward pack.

  14. Northampton 21-15 Castres

    Saints follow the score up with an impressive spell, patiently moving up the park and pressuring Castres into kicking to touch in their own half.

  15. Northampton 21-15 Castres

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-Northampton and England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Kick the ball to Northampton unscheduled, without your chasing order, at your peril.

    Superb movement off the ball and players working so hard to make sure Furbank has got options so he can use the ball.

    Absolute class from the England full-back, great support from Kemeny on the inside and it's a superb score.

  16. converted try

    Converted try - Northampton 21-15 Castres

    Josh Kemeny (con: Belleau)

    Josh Kemeny scores a tryGetty Images

    Lovely stuff!

    The ball is whipped to the left after Castres kick the ball back to Northampton.

    George Furbank finds Archie McParland, who misses out a couple of defenders when spinning it back inside, allowing Josh Kemeny to glide over for a try that Anthony Belleau converts.

    Saints lead for the first time!

  17. Northampton 14-15 Castres

    There's slick handling in the Saints backline until George Furbank drills a lovely bouncing bomb of a kick into touch in the Castres 22.

  18. Listen live

    Northampton 14-15 Castres

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    A reminder that you can listen to live commentary of tonight's match on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, featuring former Saints and England fly-half Paul Grayson, and BBC Radio Northampton.

    The Sports Extra commentary is now also on BBC Radio 5 Live for the remainder of the match.

    All of those coverage options are available on this page and via BBC Sounds.

  19. Kick-off

    Northampton 14-15 Castres

    It looks like Henry Pollock will be without the number seven on his back as the second half kicks off.

  20. HT: Northampton 14-15 Castres

    Northampton v Castres match actionGetty Images

    It's impossible to predict this - I wonder if it might go down to a bit of penalty or drop goal drama late on?