Leicester Tigers 28 Northampton Saints 24: Tom Vickers' review and player ratings

Okay, so there may be a swearword in the standard version, but you get the point.

And during Sunday's game at Welford Road you could have imagined Tigers fans sitting in front of their television sets laughing as they uttered 'how bad must you be, we're winning a game'.

Because this was a Tigers team who, like Saints, had prevailed just once since the resumption of the Premiership last month and who had suffered their record Premiership reverse in their most recent game, at Wasps.

So what did it say about Saints that they lost this match?

Well, a lot.

And none of it was good.

In fact, Chris Boyd showed that in a post-match interview that saw him label the showing 'embarrassing' and the worst of his two-year tenure as Saints boss.

It was that bad.

They may have only lost by four points in the end, but Henry Taylor's late try was no consolation on another agony-filled afternoon.

Very little went right and very little didn't go wrong.

Tigers may have had Harry Potter in their ranks, but they produced little magic.

They didn't need to.

Because yet again - and it's getting very boring and repetitive writing this now - Saints let the opposition off the hook.

If it wasn't a dropped ball, it was a lost scrum or a breakdown penalty.

Saints even conceded a penalty at the scrum when Tigers included two backs in their eight-man shove.

Full-back Freddie Steward stepped up and slammed the ball between the posts from close to halfway to put the seal on a shocking first-half showing from Saints.

It was a horrible moment in a horrible game.

Tigers, who had lost their previous three Welford Road fixtures against Saints, scored one try but amassed 28 points.

Let that sink in.

Penalty after penalty was handed to them as Zack Henry hoovered up points, but, to their credit, Tigers did some of the basics well.

They put the squeeze on in the scrum, took their one chance when it came and they built their display on intensity, particularly in defence.

They weren't special but they were steady and strong in key moments.

The same couldn't be said for Saints.

Time and again they tried to turn the screw, only to, yet again, be let down by their execution.

They lost the period when Tigers had 13 men 3-0 and that probably contributed heavily to Boyd's assessment of being embarrassed as he apologised to everyone of a black, green and gold persuasion.

This hurt, make no mistake.

Saints have now lost 10 of their past 12 games.

They have taken just 12 points from their past 10 league matches, slipping from second to outside the top six in an alarming slump.

And with Exeter, Sale and Gloucester still to come before what is turning into a shocking second half of the season is over, fans are fearing the worst.

Questions are being asked of coaches and players, and, as yet, solutions haven't been forthcoming.

It is painful to watch.

If Plan A - which is built on a style that requires real confidence - doesn't work, there doesn't seem to be a second option that can.

Saints simply are not able to win games ugly, which is a prerequisite in the Premiership.

When the pretty play doesn't get the job done, the hard yards should.

Take Saints' double-winning team of 2013/14 as the best example.

If backs such as Kahn Fotuali'i, George North and Ben Foden didn't get you, you could be sure the likes of Samu Manoa, Tom Wood and Courtney Lawes would.

Defence and discipline would win out if dazzling rugby didn't.

And sadly for Saints, very few areas are functioning as they should right now.

Players look shorn of belief and are shadows of the stars who set the league alight at times in 2019.

Even when one thing goes right, another two go wrong.

Saints actually went 3-0 up at Welford Road, but once an error opened the door for a Tigers try, the confidence levels and the composure drifted away again.

Some were vociferously calling for coaching changes in the aftermath of the excruciating events in Leicester, but that would solve little, especially at this stage of the season.

A more measured approach is needed and is likely to be applied.

Saints must try to take some pride from the final three games of this campaign, something they didn't do in a largely sanitised derby on Sunday.

They can't just write these next few games off and look to next season.

They worked too hard earlier in the campaign to simply believe Exeter are too good and can't be beaten at Sandy Park this Sunday, even if all the signs point in that direction.

Then, whatever happens, Saints have to hit the reset button and see if they can get back in the kind of groove that took them to second earlier this season.

Those days seem to have been swallowed up amid a Covid-19 cloud and that derby delight against Tigers at Franklin's Gardens in November feels like a lifetime ago, like many things we previously enjoyed.

But there is still a big future for many of these players.

They have the ability, somehow they need a spark, some confidence from somewhere.

It is not that they don't care, it is that their sub-conscious is kicking in when the chips are down.

With belief low, players are not taking the kind of on-field command they did when things were really flowing.

Leadership is required from one to 23, and in the coaching team, to get out of this sorry situation.

Because if Saints don't step up across the board on Sunday, perhaps the toughest 80 minutes of all will beckon.

How they rated...

GEORGE FURBANK

His knock-on allowed Tigers to grab their only try of the game and the talented full-back is having a bit of a struggle as teams continue to put real pressure on him... 4

AHSEE TUALA

Scored a superb try in a Saints win at Welford Road a couple of years ago, but never really got into the game here... 4

MATT PROCTOR

Was one of the many players who found handling tough in the first half and wasn't able to enjoy the kind of dream day he had against Tigers on his Premiership debut... 4

RORY HUTCHINSON

Tried to conjure openings when he had the ball but never received it in dangerous areas and Tigers stopped him having an impact... 5

TAQELE NAIYARAVORO

Did well to break the Tigers line on one occasion but couldn't find the final pass on a frustrating day for the wing... 4

DAN BIGGAR

Was secure under the high ball but wasn't able to pull the strings as he would have hoped with ball in hand... 5

ALEX MITCHELL

Was one of the few bright sparks for Saints as he kept his own tempo high and buzzed around the field trying to make things happen... 5.5

FRANCOIS VAN WYK

His injury added to Saints' loosehead crisis as he was forced off early in the game, having initially looked hungry to steal possession from Tigers... 4.5

JAMES FISH

Kept Saints' lineout secure while he was on the field and didn't do too much wrong before being replaced... 5

OWEN FRANKS

Wasn't really able to have the desired impact on the game as Tigers turned the screw up front... 4

DAVID RIBBANS

Did well in the lineout but his yellow card for a high tackle proved really costly as Tigers scored six points during that time to take the game away from Saints... 4

API RATUNIYARAWA

The Fiji lock was steady enough but Tigers didn't allow him to use his handling game, smothering him in the tackle... 4.5

COURTNEY LAWES

Tried to truck it up for Saints, carrying the fight as he so often does, but Tigers stopped him having a huge say here... 5

LEWIS LUDLAM

Kept fighting for his team, but players didn't go with him when he tried to carry and Tigers earned penalties from that... 5

TEIMANA HARRISON

Looked hungry at times in the first half but appeared to suffer a hand injury and came off at half-time as Saints lost their co-captain... 5

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

MANNY IYOGUN (for van Wyk 25)

A really tough ask for the young loosehead as he came on against one of the most experienced tightheads around, Dan Cole, and was given a tough time at the scrum... 4.5

NICK ISIEKWE (for Harrison 40)

Tried to use his power game to put pressure on Tigers but they largely dealt with the England lock well... 5

FRASER DINGWALL (for Proctor 40)

Not an easy game to come into as Saints had little momentum after the first half and he couldn't really have a say... 4.5

MIKE HAYWOOD (for Fish 48)

Didn't find the target with a lineout once or twice but did deliver the pass that put Paul Hill in for a tidy score... 4.5

PAUL HILL (for Franks 48)

Produced one of the only moments for Saints to shout about as he scored a lung-busting try, making up for the one he saw disallowed at Welford Road in 2016... 6

ALEX MOON (for Ratuniyarawa 48)

Carried hard when he got the chance but Tigers did everything they could to stop the Saints forwards, by fair means or foul... 5

CHRON STAR MAN - Zack Henry (Leicester Tigers)