Ma’afu and Dickson make first appearances as Wanderers win at Leicester

MAKING HIS MARK - Salesi Ma'afu helped the Wanderers win at Leicester (picture by Linda Dawson)

Australian prop Ma’afu, who moved to Northampton from Western Force this summer, played 65 minutes before being withdrawn.

Kiwi utility back Dickson, a recruit from Otago, came off the bench on 49 minutes and added the extras to a late penalty try.

Captain Ben Nutley’s first-half score put the Wanderers in control, with Sam Olver’s accurate boot helping the away team grab a 13-7 half-time lead.

And further points from Olver in the second half, plus the late penalty try and Dickson’s conversion ensured it was a winning start to the Wanderers’ A League campaign.

Wanderers: Artemyev (Betts 71); Collins, Diggin (Skelcey 65), Stephenson, Packman; Olver (G Dickson 49), Glynn (A Day 49); E Waller (Warren 65), McMillan (Marshall 78), Ma’afu (Parkins 65), Craig, Verbakel (Woolford 78), Harry, Nutley (c), van Velze.

Tigers: Humphreys; Catchpole, Hepetema, Dunn, Purdy; Harrison, Tresidder; Bristow, Chuter (c), Schuster, Price, de Chaves, Wells, Gibson, Noone.

Replacements: Farnworth, Brugnara, Pasquali, Cain, Prince, Osbourne, Williams, Guillaume.