'Here or in Timbuktu, we need to win' - Boyd on Saints' barren home run

That is Chris Boyd's typically forthright assessment as Saints seek to end a run of five successive home defeats when Exeter Chiefs come calling on Friday night.

Franklin's Gardens has not been a happy home for the black, green and gold in 2020, with the Champions Cup victory against Benetton their only win in Northampton this year.

London Irish, Bristol Bears, Saracens, Wasps and Bath have all edged out Saints at the Gardens.

“The home bit is emotionally important, but we need to win," Boyd said.

"Whether we’re playing here or in Timbuktu, we need to win at the weekend and need to find a way to produce a performance that gives us that victory.

"The home part is emotionally disappointing, that we haven’t done well at home.

"The break with Covid and the no crowds has probably softened that a little bit, in respect that the only people that seem to be worried about the five games tend to be the journalists.

“It’s very disappointing because we back ourselves that if we have a good performance we should give ourselves an opportunity to be there and thereabouts from an outcome point of view.

“Obviously there’s a couple of teams that are going really well, particularly Exeter, and you can play really well against them and still come out on the wrong side of an outcome from them.

“But we, like most teams, would say if you bring your A-game and get a little bit of luck then you have got a chance of winning.”

Saints have won just once since the return of Premiership rugby last month, with the 27-3 success at London Irish all they have to show for their efforts.

They have slipped down to sixth in the standings, seven points off the top four with just five regular-season games to go.

And Boyd said: “Obviously one out of four is unacceptable and we’re not happy with that. We’ve had a poor return since Covid.

“The players are not stupid, they know we have wedged ourselves into a hole.

"Even if we win five games out of five, taking 20 points, then 60 points is probably not going to be enough to get into the top four.

"I reckon it might be 62 that is required, but obviously that depends on the results in the other games.

“If you look at what is left to play: Bath versus Wasps is a pivotal game, Bath go to Harlequins, that’s a pivotal game. We play Exeter, that’s pivotal, and that goes on and on.

"I’m not sure where it’s going to end up, but I would be very surprised if Exeter, Sale and Bristol don’t make the top four.

“With the points they have got now and the capability of winning, I’d be surprised if it’s not those three.

"And then obviously you’ve got probably four or five teams scrapping out that last position.”