Opposition view: Discipline and execution 'killed' Tigers against Saints

Tigers saw two players yellow carded and one sent off as they were beaten in the Gallagher Premiership encounter at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

Jasper Wiese and Jamie Shillcock were sin-binned, with Shillcock’s deliberate knock-on handing Saints a penalty try.

And the key moment in the match came with 20 minutes to go as centre Solomone Kata was red carded for a high tackle on Fraser Dingwall.

Tigers were 18-17 down at that point, but table-topping Saints then ruthlessly took the game away from them in the closing stages.

And McKellar said: "We put them under pressure for long periods of time in the first half and we executed our plan well.

"Ultimately, discipline and execution in the attacking 22 killed us.

"Sometimes it's just a matter of doing the obvious and putting your winger in the corner, and at this level you've got to be able to do that, against quality teams.

"To play nearly 40 minutes against a team of Northampton's quality with 14 men, it's tough.

"We were really slow out of the blocks in the second half but we got back to 18-17 and were well and truly in the game, but again discipline hurt us and a penalty try and yellow card put us down to 14.

"We got the red card and against a team that's playing with that confidence and momentum they have at the moment, it's tough to defend, and we ran out of legs."