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Last Updated: Friday, 14 April 2006, 20:36 GMT 21:36 UK

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Northampton 19-24 Leicester

Northampton: (13) 19
Try: D Browne
Con: Reihana
Pens: Reihana 4

Leicester: (14) 24
Tries: Varndell 2, A Tuilagi
Cons: Vesty 2, Goode
Pen: Vesty

A try in each half by Tom Varndell proved to be the difference between Northampton and Leicester in a closely fought match at Franklin's Gardens.

Varndell and Alesana Tuilagi's tries gave Leicester a narrow interval lead, with Dan Browne having pulled one back.

Bruce Reihana's consistent kicking put Northampton ahead after the break before Varndell rounded off a fine passing move for his second.

Northampton attacked fiercely at the end, but Leicester held out to win.

Carlos Spencer and Graham Rowntree were in the sinbin when Reihana kicked two penalties to reduce the lead Varndell's early try had given Leicester.

Scott Bemand's mazy run nearly set up a second Leicester try, but when the next score came, it was for Saints as Sean Lamont's delayed pass allowed Dan Browne to burst through and score.

Tuilagi sprinted down the wing to put Leicester up at the break, before Reihana kicked Saints back in front.

But Varndell's second try pushed Leicester back into the lead and for all Northampton's efforts, they could not find a way to breach the Leicester line.

Northampton head coach Paul Grayson:

"We struggled to create quick ball, but still managed to cause them a few problems.

"Having handed them two tries we can have no complaints.

"We showed plenty of attitude and pride. We have shown bucketloads of character and we were technically undone out there."

Leicester head coach Pat Howard on making five changes to the side:

"I said to the guys I was willing to lose this one to do something we have not done before.

"We had to answer our critics and prove to ourselves we are capable of playing a different type of rugby.

"We did not play with enough ambition against Bath and we went to another extreme this time."

Northampton: Reihana; Lamont, Clarke, Quinlan, Cohen; Spencer, Robinson; Smith, Thompson, Barnard; D Browne, Lord; Tupai, Fox, D Browne.
Replacements: Budgen for Barnard (62), Gerard for Lord (68), Lewitt for Tupai (58), Harding for Fox (58).
Not Used: Richmond, Howard, Kydd.

Sin Bin: Spencer (7)

Leicester: Murphy; A Tuilagi, Hipkiss, Vesty, Varndell; Healey, Bemand; White, Chuter, Rowntree; Cullen, Kay; L Deacon, Moody, Corry.
Replacements: Smith for Murphy (41), Gibson for Hipkiss (51), Goode for Healey (55), Buckland for Chuter (41), Holford for L Deacon (9), Jennings for Moody (62), Hamilton for Holford (18).

Sin Bin: Rowntree (7), Holford (78)

Att: 13,493

Referee: Tony Spreadbury (Bristol)

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