Top of the table against third; a packed Franklin's Gardens; bright sunshine. All the ingredients were there for a classic encounter. Sadly this was anything but. Both teams seemed determined to impose their physicality rather than their skills on the opposition and those skills were only occasionally in evidence as Northampton, in particular, turned the ball over far too often.

There were moments of class, most notably from the Gloucester back three of Goodridge, Garvey and Simpson-Daniel, but for the most part the match offered only honest endeavour punctuated by far too many elementary errors.

It took Gloucester just two minutes to move ahead, Henry Paul kicking a fine penalty from near the right-hand touchline after the home team had entered a maul from the side. Seventeen rather sterile minutes followed, in which some players seemed more intent on settling personal scores than producing creative rugby, before Northampton replied. The Gloucester front row were penalised at a scrum and Shane Drahm, an early replacement for the injured Paul Grayson, brought the scores level.

The visitors' reply was instant. Marcel Garvey made the first break down the right. The ball was recycled left through Paul and Terry Sigley, and hooker Olivier Azam was released for the first try. Paul converted. A sloppy tap-back from a line-out close to their line put the Saints under further pressure. A scrum five was conceded and although the initial thrust of Terry Fanolua was contained, second phase possession gave fly-half Duncan McRae an easy drop goal and Gloucester a 10-point lead.

It was to last just five minutes. Both centres figured prominently in the home side's best passing movement of the first period and when Gloucester killed the ball, Drahm landed his second penalty.

Six minutes into the second half the lead was down to just four points. Drahm again punishing Gloucester after they had strayed offside. The Saints then thought they had crossed for a try only to be brought back by referee Steve Lander for an earlier infringement. Paul promptly missed two kickable chances to extend Gloucester's advantage.

Those always looked likely to be expensive and so it proved. With just 14 minutes remaining Gloucester illegally stopped one of the best Northampton attacks, and suffered a double penalty. Drahm made it four penalties from four attempts and the Gloucester No 8, James Forrester, headed to the sin bin. With Gloucester a man short Drahm then just missed with his most difficult penalty. At last, though, Northampton released their runners, with full-back Bruce Reihana to the fore.

The attacks were fast and furious and full of passion. The visitors' defence was desperate at times but their conviction and commitment was total. But the final score came from Gloucester, after the Saints had once again lost possession in the midfield. A speculative kick ahead by McRae was brilliantly followed up by Garvey, and the wing carried the ball and two defenders over for the decisive score. That sparked a mass exit by the home fans.

Afterwards Gloucester's director of rugby, Nigel Melville, talked about the spirit, commitment and passion of his side. He also singled out the performance of his fly half McRae, describing him as 'a smart player who had controlled the match with his tactical kicking.' Northampton's head coach, Alan Solomons, agreed. 'On balance Gloucester deserved to win,' he said. 'We were a bit flat in the first half, and although the second was better we played too much rugby in our own half.'

NORTHAMPTON : Reihana; Rudd, Tucker, Stcherbina, Cohen; Grayson (Drahm 12), Howard; Smith, Thompson, Kempson, Boome, Browne (Lord 57), Blowers (Fox 57), Krige (capt), Seely.

GLOUCESTER : Goodridge; Garvey, Fanolua, Paul, Simpson-Daniel; McRae, Gomarsall; Wood, Azam (Fortey 53), Sigley, Buxton, Brown, Boer (capt), Hazell (Balding 53), Forrester.

Referee: Steve Lander (RFU).

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