Saints defeat Gloucester to secure home semi-final

The Prem

Northampton (19) 36

Tries: Hendy, F Smith, Hutchinson, Freeman, Graham, Furbank Cons: F Smith (3)

Gloucester (19) 32

Tries: Gwynne, Thorley, S Atkinson, Loader, Llewellyn Cons: C Atkinson (2) Pens: C Atkinson

A last-minute try from George Furbank secured Northampton Saints home advantage in the Prem semi-finals after a pulsating win over Gloucester at a sweltering Franklin's Gardens.

Fresh off a record 94-33 win over Bristol last time out, league leaders Saints - who had already secured a play-off spot - were made to sweat until the final seconds by a brilliant Gloucester performance in a game which had seven lead changes and 11 tries.

Gloucester raced into an early 12-point lead, but Saints showcased some of their fluid attacking prowess to level the scores at 19-19 before the break, with Rory Hutchinson scoring on his 200th Saints appearance.

The sides exchanged scores after the turnaround, but it looked like Charlie Atkinson's penalty in the 77th minute would win it for the visitors until Furbank plunged over in the dying seconds to spark wild celebrations.

Saints are eight points clear of Bath, while Leicester are another two points back, with a game in hand.

Gloucester moved above Harlequins into eighth after picking up two bonus points and, with a home game against Newcastle Red Bulls to come, are well placed to pip them for the final European Champions Cup spot next season.

After incessant early pressure from the visitors, Saints prop Emmanuel Iyogan picked up a yellow card for pulling back an opponent at a scrum inside six minutes.

Deian Gwynne barrelled over following a maul from a close-range line-out seconds later, but Charlie Atkinson's subsequent kick from the whitewash struck the upright.

Gloucester added a second score just before Iyogan returned as they spread the play from left to right for Ollie Thorley to race over in space, with Atkinson adding a fine conversion from out wide for a 12-0 lead.

Saints reduced the arrears on 20 minutes when Gloucester turned it over in their own half and George Hendy received a quick pass to blaze into space down the left and plunge over, with Fin Smith slotting the extras.

The scores were tied seconds after the restart when Saints raced the length of the field from deep in their own 22, with Furbank bursting away on the right before Tommy Freeman found Smith to finish the move by the posts. Smith added the conversion himself to give Saints a two-point lead.

It did not last long as Gloucester replied with a stunning score of their own when Caolan Englefield worked some room with a couple of dummies to send Seb Atkinson over in the left corner, with Charlie Atkinson's boot making it 19-14 inside 28 minutes.

Six minutes later centre Rory Hutchinson latched on to Smith's close-range grubber kick to mark his 200th appearance for the club with a try, though Smith's routine conversion was missed leaving the scores level.

After the break Gloucester picked up the bonus point try as Ben Loader was left in space on the left to dot down after Seb Atkinson had worked some space, though Charlie Atkinson's conversion attempt drifted wide.

It took Saints seconds to follow suit and make it 24-24 as Freeman dotted down in the right corner for his 16th Prem try after some slick hands following Tom Pearson's break through some slack Gloucester defence.

Saints went to sleep as Gloucester added their fifth try just before the hour. Seb Atkinson popped the ball to Max Llewellyn and he darted through untouched, though Charlie Atkinson's subsequent kick drifted wide.

Saints roared back and Sam Graham barrelled over by the posts after good work from Archie McParland on 65 minutes, and the conversion made it 31-29 for the fifth lead change of the game.

Pearson saw a try chalked off by the TMO for a knock-on from the restart and it nearly came back to haunt Saints as Charlie Atkinson stroked a close-range penalty inside the final four minutes to nudge the visitors into a one-point lead.

Saints threw the kitchen sink at it and Freeman was denied by a fine last-gasp challenge from Ben Redshaw, on his first appearance since March, while a brilliant Thorley tackle denied Fraser Dingwall on the other flank, dragging his boot into touch as he dived to touch down.

There was still time for skipper Furbank to take a short pass and plunge over from close range in the final minute, and though Smith's conversion attempt was timed-out, Saints held firm from the restart to ensure a home semi-final.

Northampton: Furbank; Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Hendy; F Smith, McParland; Iyogun, R Smith, Green, Coles, Prowse, Pearson, Pollock, Chick.

Replacements: Wright, Fischetti, Millar Mills, Lockett, Graham, Weimann, Dingwall, Ramm.

Sin-bin: Iyogun (5).

Gloucester: Redshaw; Thorley, Llewellyn, S Atkinson, Loader; C Atkinson, Englefield; Knight, Blake, Fasogbon, Clark, Thomas, Gwynne, Venter, Trenholm.

Replacements: Innard, Bleuler, Laulala, Alemanno, Clement, Austin, W. Knight, Edwards-Giraud.

Referee: Matt Carley

Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson said:

"I'm a bit annoyed at the moment as we weren't at it today. There were loads of uncharacteristic errors and it didn't look as though we had the right mindset.

"It was very hard work and Gloucester played well, but we weren't clinical or precise enough. But obviously I'm pleased to secure a home semi-final.

"Our performance was disappointing and we can't put a finger on why it was.

"However, we read a stat in the week that 86 per cent of the Prem semi-finals are won by the home side so it was important that we showed the consistency to reach that goal."

Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington said:

"It's gutting at the way it panned out as we were in a really good position to win it.

"Still I'm incredibly proud of the boys as we were unbelievable today and I take a lot of pride from what we achieved.

"The crowd started booing us when he elected to kick that penalty as they knew we had them on the ropes.

"The game showed potentially where we could be as our game management has improved greatly with both half-backs, Charlie Atkinson and Caolan Englefield, developing really well over the last month."