What is the East Midlands equivalent of deja vu? For the second season in succession Northampton are into the Champions Cup semi-finals and have booked themselves a trip to Dublin to face Leinster. Last time they came within three points of victory so, on paper at least, there is still a chance that Saints can march all the way to next month’s final in Cardiff. All the evidence would suggest, though, that Leinster are a more formidable force this year than last while Northampton had be initially resolute to see off a hard-edged Castres team who competed strongly until two tries in five minutes early in the second half from the fit-again George Furbank and the man-of-the-moment Henry Pollock cracked their resistance. Castres also had three players sent to the sin-bin in an occasionally feisty contest and Pollock was toying with the visitors by the final quarter, claiming a second opportunistic try for himself after Alex Mitchell had done the initial approach work. After his two tries against Clermont last Friday and another brace for England in Cardiff last month, Pollock is certainly giving the British & Irish Lions selectors a hefty nudge. Furbank, finally back after almost four months on the sidelines with a broken arm, also looked encouragingly sharp from the outset after being propelled into action off the bench when George Hendy dislocated a shoulder after falling heavily and was led groggily away after barely three minutes. Saints, though, pressed on without a backward glance. A neat interchange of passes and a brilliant offload by the returning club skipper put Tommy Freeman over for Saints’ opening try before Furbank’s deft chip sat up nicely for Curtis Langdon to score a second. At 12-3 up after 13 minutes the momentum was flowing only one way. A second Smith penalty extended the gap before Castres struck back through Jérémy Fernandez, the try being awarded despite some initial uncertainty as to whether the ball had been grounded. It was a relief for the home supporters then, when Alex Coles added a third try immediately after Leone Nakarawa had been sent to the sin-bin following a string of penalties. The visitors, though, were not going away. The best illustration of the impact of the visiting back-row was the lack of first-half opportunities for Pollock to show his blossoming class, aside from one early upfield surge from deep. The fast-rising back-rower was largely restricted to close-quarter work and when Castres reached half-time 20-13 down it was just reward for the efforts of their muscular forwards. Could it last? Northampton had beaten their opponents on all six of their previous visits to England in this tournament but this was Castres’ first Champions Cup quarter-final for 23 years and there was plenty of pride at stake. Another three points from Fernandez dragged them back to within four points and a slight hush descended on the Gardens. At which point normal service finally resumed. Furbank bravely crashed his way over for a popular score before another Saints attack ended with Pollock steaming 20 metres to score, celebrating to the crowd as he ran behind the posts before smacking the ball down like an NFL veteran. The flanker may be only 20 but he is already unquestionably box office. His second try was also finished with a flourish, leaving two defenders prone on the floor behind him. If it did not help that Castres had lost both Rémy Baget and Lois Guérois-Galisson after an altercation that also led Temo Mayanavanua to the bin, there was also no doubting the positivity of Saints’ ball-carrying and Pollock’s eye for the main chance. The ultimate test, though, still awaits in Dublin. The semi-final will be played the weekend before the Lions party is unveiled on 8 May and theoretically gives Pollock a final shot against such luminaries as Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris and Jack Conan in the Leinster back-row. Amid the cute little flick passes and speed across the ground, he will also have to show he possesses the hard-nosed grunt to get the better of such seasoned top operators. It makes for a fascinating contest, even if Leinster will still be heavy favourites to progress to yet another final. The Saints may have been languishing in the Premiership table but on the big occasion they have the ability to slice the best defences apart. And with Pollock in his current mood, they will feel anything is possible.
Author: Robert Kitson at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens