First-minute red card for challenge costs Saints dearly
Gloucester off mark with victory against Harlequins
Northampton’s unbeaten start to the season came to a shuddering halt as they were blown away 46-12 by impressive Bristol at Ashton Gate. Saints lost Edoardo Todaro to a first-minute red card and it was downhill all the way after that as Bristol ran in six tries.
Scrum-half Kieran Marmion scored two and Tom Jordan, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Aidan Boshoff and Luka Ivanishvili also crossed, with Sam Worsley kicking five conversions and two penalties. JJ van der Mescht and Tom Litchfield scored Northampton’s tries, one of which Fin Smith converted.
Saints made a disastrous start by losing Todaro, newly capped by Italy, to an immediate red card. Todaro’s dangerous challenge on Worsley while he was in the air left the referee with little alternative and Bristol soon capitalised when Marmion quickly took a tap penalty to dart over.
