Homer gets his kicks in Irish odyssey
London Irish 32 Northampton 27
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Your support makes all the difference.The fact that yesterday was actually St Basil's Day, and not St Patrick's, did not matter a jot to London Irish or their disciples. The most important thing from their perspective was that it was not Northampton Saints' day.
Although it very well could have been, Northampton had nosed a couple of scores in front with an hour gone, but there was then a suspicion of panic in their ranks as the crazed Exiles, determined not to disappoint a baying crowd of 21,295 spectators, threw everything at the Saints' line.
Irish had been kept in touch by the cultured kicking of their third-choice full-back Tom Homer. "He has such a metronomic boot," said head coach Toby Booth. "He is just a natural striker of the ball." Homer, a product of the London Irish Academy, was called up because Delon Armitage was on England duty and the other regular No 15, Peter Hewat, is injured.
"Those two were sitting alongside me during the game," added Booth. "Peter let me know he can play outside-half, while Delon reminded me that there is a pecking order at this club." Homer landed six out of six penalties and converted both tries, the second a penalty try when the Saints scrum splintered on their line.
That score came after the appearance of a blonde streaker, caught up, not only in the day but in the Irish weekend. Most of the revellers were still celebrating Ireland's Grand Slam when they began arriving at the Madejski Stadium yesterday morning.
Northampton dampened the mood soon after the start though when captain Bruce Reihana was put over for a try, after great work by full-back Ben Foden, who finished the match with a dead leg. Thankfully another youngster and product of the academy, Adam Thompstone was presented with a perfect scoring pass by Homer, who then added the extras and his first two penalty kicks before Saints No 8 Roger Wilson scored their second try. Unusually Barry Everitt, who had converted the first try, went on to miss the second one and a subsequent penalty.
Reihana took over the duties after that and had four out of four penalties, but they were just not enough.
London Irish: Tries Thompstone, Penalty; Conversions Homer 2; Penalties Homer 6. Northampton: Tries Reihana, Wilson; Conversion Everitt; Penalties Everitt, Reihana 4.
London Irish: T Homer; A Thompstone, E Seveali'i (P Richards, 63), S Mapusua (E Hickey, 78), S Tagicakibau; M Catt (capt), P Hodgson; C Dermody, D Coetzee (D Paice, 52), R Skuse (T Lea'aetoa, 59), J Hudson, G Johnson (K Roche, 57), D Danaher, S Armitage, C Hala'ufia (R Thorpe, 59).
Northampton: B Foden; B Reihana (capt), J Ansbro, J Downey (C Mayor, 78), S Lamont; B Everitt (S Myler, 57), L Dickson; S Tonga'uiha, B Sharman (J Gray, 80+1), B Stewart (T Smith, 63), C Lawes (M Hopley, 80+1), J Kruger, M Easter (A Rae, 59), N Best, R Wilson.
Referee: S Davey (Sussex).
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