Northampton Saints 46 Clermont Auvergne 24: Tom Vickers' review and player ratings

Those were the words of fly-half Fin Smith before Saints took to the field against Clermont Auvergne on Friday night.

And how Smith, fully rested and refreshed after a week in Dubai, and his team-mates delivered on their game plan under the Gardens lights.

They pulled Clermont from pillar to post, pushing them to breaking point and beyond time and again during a blistering first half.

Brutality often means power in rugby, but this time it meant pace as Saints left their opponents breathless, gasping for air as wave after wave of black, green and gold pressure saw them submerged.

Clermont, who had moved into an early 10-0 lead, couldn’t live with the tempo of Saints’ play as Phil Dowson’s side moved the ball at the speed of light.

Opposition players were left strewn across the field as Saints swept them from their feet and exposed the spaces that opened up.

It was a night that illustrated all that is great about a team that was crowned champions of England last season.

And it was a striking demonstration of what they can do when they are able to get the majority of their key men on the field, with weeks of training in the bank.

There were connections across the pitch as Saints got back to their fluent and brilliant best, with the likes of Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, Fraser Dingwall and Tommy Freeman showing their international class.

And with seven tries secured, Saints sauntered into a home Investec Champions Cup quarter-final for the second season in succession.

Now, in the aftermath of yet another European success, there is time to take a little breath and reflect on what this team continues to achieve.

An injury-hit title defence aside, this Saints squad keeps creating special new memories, bringing so much joy to the town.

Let’s not forget that before they claimed a superb win at Glasgow Warriors in December 2023, Saints had lost the previous 10 Champions Cup matches they had played.

Now they have won 10 of their past 12, toppling European giants such as Munster and Clermont Auvergne in the process, something this club could only have dreamed off in years gone by.

It is now exactly 10 years to the day since Saints, reigning English champions, were humbled in a Champions Cup quarter-final at Clermont.

But there was no repeat in this knockout tie as they put the French side, who they had beaten just once in six meetings, to the sword in devastating fashion.

How far Saints have come in recent years, and how they have shown that when they are their best they are a match for anyone.

Now they will be desperate to make it back-to-back semi-finals in this storied competition.

And if they execute their game plan to this extent again next weekend, you wouldn’t back against them.

How they rated…

JAMES RAMM – made some good runs from deep to gain Saints some ground and though he will be disappointed to have been beaten by Alivereti Raka for a try, he isn’t the first and won’t be the last to have been brushed aside by the huge Clermont wing… 7.5

TOMMY FREEMAN – Saints’ hat-trick hero, England star and Lions hopeful – this wing is just pure class in everything he does… 9

FRASER DINGWALL – he doesn’t get the headlines that some of his team-mates enjoy but this man is so, so good. The glue of the team, he does it all and his game has gone up another level this season… 9

BURGER ODENDAAL – this man makes such a difference to Saints and how happy they are to have him back as he uses his physicality and game intelligence to such great effect… 8

GEORGE HENDY – such a threat on the counter-attack, his break to set up a Juarno Augustus try was a thing of beauty, and he was fully of pace and power all night… 9

FIN SMITH – another incredible performance from the fly-half as he defended stoically and then pulled the strings in attack, even notching a try of his own… 9

ALEX MITCHELL – his tap tackle on Bautista Delguy during the first half was simply incredible and it proved to be a game-changing moment. The England star set a rapid tone for Saints all night… 9

MANNY IYOGUN – saw a couple of penalties go against him, but was a force to be reckoned with at times, showing some good passing ability, too… 7

CURTIS LANGDON – when Saints play well, this man is usually at the heart of it, and this was another all-action showing from a player who gives everything he’s got at all times… 8

TREVOR DAVISON – got through plenty of work for his team, making plenty of tackles and doing well at the set piece… 7.5

TEMO MAYANAVANUA – the powerful lock is such a presence for Saints and he used his physicality here… 7.5

ALEX COLES – a big performance from the lock as he powered forward on so many occasions and he even decided to try his hand at kicking at one point… 8

JOSH KEMENY – his lineout gather that led to the first try for Augustus was so crucial and the Australian flanker certainly had an impact here… 7.5

HENRY POLLOCK – CHRON STAR MAN – there were so many contenders for star man, but this young man got it because, from start to finish, he popped up with crucial contributions, winning a whopping five turnovers to put a spanner in the works for Clermont… 9

JUARNO AUGUSTUS – grabbed two tries in a huge physical showing as he carried the fight to Clermont time and again… 9

Replacements (who played more than 20 minutes)

ANGUS SCOTT-YOUNG (for Kemeny 56) – got through plenty of work, as you’d expect, during his time on the field and helped Saints to hit back after Clermont threatened… 7