Bath Rugby 21-41 Northampton Saints result - Tommy Freeman hat-trick and Henry Pollock brace gives visitors impressive Gallagher PREM win

Northampton Saints landed a huge blow on defending Gallagher PREM champions Bath by running out convincing 41-21 winners at The Rec.

Saints made 10 changes coming into the top-of-the-table clash as the visitors rested players for the forthcoming Gallagher PREM and European fixtures.

However, they came out fighting with Tommy Freeman charging over for the first of his hat-trick with just seven minutes played.

Saints felt they were wrongly denied an Edoardo Todaro try for a knock-on, before Thomas du Toit pulled Bath level.

An end-to-end first half saw Tom Dunn put the hosts ahead before Archie McParland pulled the sides level at the break – only after Callum Chick had another Saints try ruled out.

Du Toit gave Bath an early second half lead, before Rory Hutchinson fell just short as the Saints had a third try ruled out.

However, Freeman pulled the visitors level before Ben Pollock put the game out of sight with a fine brace of tries.

Freeman sealed his hat-trick to complete a memorable night for the Saints and only their second win at The Rec in a decade.

All eyes will be on Northampton as they host Harlequins next weekend, while Bath host Exeter Chiefs.

Northampton Saints head coach Phil Dowson said that making 10 changes was a risk which paid off after beating Bath.

He told TNT Sports: "We're delighted, and we're very fortunate to have the depth of a squad capable of producing performances like that with so many players resting this week.

"We knew we'd be written off, that took pressure off us and put pressure on them.

"It's exactly what Johaan van Graan did last week up at Newcastle. It's a nine-week block before we go back into the Six Nations, and we have a PRC break where we can rest and recover.

"And we want these players to be right over the next few weeks, right over the next few months, we want them to be right over the next few years as well. From a welfare point of view, and a consistency point of view, and also trusting the squad because we know what they're capable of. It's a risk, but today it paid off.

"We talk all the time that iron sharpens iron. We talk about competition in the squad to try and push. So much of the game goes through 9 and 10, and Archie McParland and Anthony Belleau were both outstanding.

"What we're trying to do is find space. If the space is out there, we want the confidence and the boldness of the decision-makers to pull that trigger.

"It's definitely the best performance we've had this week, but we don't want to get too carried away with ourselves. We know what a quality side Bath are, we know there's so many very good sides in the league.

"And we know that Quins will be coming to our place with a point to prove after last night. It's feet on the floor."

Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby live on TNT Sports and discovery+

Northampton Saints outside centre Tommy Freeman says that the Saints squad all have the same DNA whoever starts.

He told TNT Sports: "I think a lot of people wrote us off at the start of the week.

"As a group we just wanted to come down here, leave nothing out there, take every opportunity, get the ball moving and thank God we did.

"It doesn't matter who is wearing the shirt. We've got a DNA, we stick to it, we go after it, and we do it on the pitch.

"We've got shape to play out of shape. We've got talented individuals and we've got speed.

"When we get the ball in space to those guys, they can kind of do some magic."

Despite resting players tonight and making 10 changes Northampton have moved top of the Gallagher PREM tonight. They move above hosts and defending champions Bath who suffered a rare defeat at The Rec.

That’s full-time and a huge roar from the golden Northampton Saints who have landed a huge blow on the defending champions. The Saints run out 21-41 winners.

Bath secure a bonus point try at the death. It’s played through the hands before Arundell finds Lawrence who drops the ball.

The ball goes loose from a Bath line-out in their own 22. The ball is played out wide to Freeman who jinked through a gap to score his hat-trick try. Belleau sends the conversion from an angle wide.

Saints are though the line again through Freeman who offloads to Pollock. However, the Saints star is denied by a Arundell challenge.

Further replacements as Sleightholme comes on for Ramm.

For Bath -  Spencer is replaced by Carr-Smith; Reid off for Dunn

Reid tried to play the ball back while off his feet resulting in another Northampton penalty. Belleau makes no mistake with the penalty and puts the match further beyond Bath.

Bath -  Griffin on for Du Toit.

Saints - Davison off for Millar-Mills; Smith replaced by Walker

From the re-start the line-out is driven straight forward and Bath have no reply. Pollock is able to burst over the try-line unopposed. The conversion is wide.

A Saints line-out inside the 22 is played back in a line-break. The visitors have players over before Frost knocks on deliberately and is yellow carded.

A lovely run by the winger who picks up the ball and cuts inside and finds a gap. He charges to five metres out before being tackled. However, his pass back is poor and Bath survive the pressure.

The mass changes for the Saints coming into the game may come back to bite them. The visitors have another chance in the 22, but a tired pass hands back possession to Bath.

The hosts have depth in their bench and make changes as Obano is replaced by Van Wyk; Hill comes on for Roux; Carreras comes on for De Glanville; Bayliss is replaced by Pepper

Chick with a lovely tackle to deny what looked a certain Underhill try for Bath. Hendy then breaks on the counter-attack riding several challenges and finding Pollock.

The young England star gladly dives over the whitewash and Anthony Belleau converts.

Hendy starts the move before Freeman finds a gap with a dummy pass before crossing the whitewash to score. Belleau kicks the conversion and the Saints are level.

Hutchinson drives the Saints forward with a lovely move. Then from a Saints line-out Pollock attracts the defenders before finding Hutchinson to score.

The TMO is going to check this one as he fears Hutchinson grounds the ball short of the try-line. The ball looks a centimetre short on the replay. The referee gave the try on-field but the TMO judges that it’s short.